Perigee
by TheGuineapig3
Summary: Every eighty years the people of Aselia celebrate the passing of Myrddin's comet, a celestial spectacle that is said to bring good fortune. This will be the first time in 4,000 years that it will pass by a reunited world, however, and no one is quite sure what effect that will have on the event… or the people watching. [Kranna, Zelette, Shelloyd; non-DotNW continuity]
1. Chapter 1

Hello! This is my first stab at a full-length Tales of Symphonia fanfiction. I'm branching out from my native Slayers fandom, and in doing so, I'm realizing how similar writing for this one is. Like Slayers, with its novel, anime, manga, and game continuities, Tales of Symphonia is a video game with a plot that relies heavily on the player's choices, so there are so many different outcomes and events. Generally, instead of trying to explain ahead the parameters of the world I'm writing in- "universe where _all_ the Flanoir scenes happened" or "universe where Kratos _didn_ _'t_ go to Derris-Kharlan," I've found that it's best to trust the reader in their ability to follow along without being spoon-fed all the details. You guys, the readers, are the real MVPs of this whole fanfiction business, and I'm thrilled to be a part of this. As with all my fanfiction, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. I hope you enjoy!

(A note on the Dwarven vows: I've studied Scottish Gaelic informally for a while using various published resources, but I haven't taken any formal lessons and am not fluent in any sense of the word. If anyone is more knowledgeable and notices issues with my translations, please let me know. _Taing mh_ _òr_!)

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 12:**  
 _Abair ach beagan agus abair gu math e._  
Say little and say it well.

 **1-**

"Hello? You wanted to see me?"

Kratos tapped his boots against the floor, trying to shake the mud off of them as he closed the door behind him. Outside it was rainy and cold, but inside a fire burned warmly in the hearth, illuminating a cozy room full of books and astronomical instruments. The materials so crowded the room that their owner was practically hidden behind them, and so it took him a moment to welcome his guest. A figure stepped out of the corner, a candle illuminating his face from below as he spoke.

"You've kept me waiting, Kratos. I'm a patient man, but even patience has its limits when it comes to matters of such grave impor-"

"Can we _not_ with the theatrics right now?" Kratos walked past Yuan and sat down by the fire, removing his gloves so that he could warm his hands. "There's already not enough time left for preparations. Myrddin's Comet might not be visible in the sky for another week, but the effects are already starting to take place in the equatorial regions. You can't expect me to come running so far north on such short notice- especially when you won't tell me what's going on. ' _It_ _'s very important'_ is not enough to convince me."

Yuan pouted. "But it's really important this time, I swear!"

"That's what you said about the penguinists thirty years ago,"

"W-well-"

"and about the barley rice incident seventy-two years ago,"

"This isn't-"

"and the-"

"LISTEN TO ME!" Yuan interrupted, slamming the candlestick down on a table with a clatter. "I _found_ them."

There was a brief silence, and Kratos' eyes shot open. His expression was one of genuine disbelief only for a moment before it furrowed into skepticism.

"All of them?"

"I believe so."

" _How_?"

"W-well, the method is too complicated to go over right now. What you need to know is that your hunch was right. It looks like they've been taken as far north as the roads go."

Yuan grabbed a piece of paper off one of the nearby tables and handed it to Kratos. It was a world map with several circles drawn on it. Kratos' eyes followed the circles until he reached the point where all three converged. "Flanoir," he spoke.

"Yes, just to the north of it. I thought that whoever is hiding them might have wanted to go somewhere uninhabited, but I did some research, and found out that the area is right in between several large ski resorts." Yuan was pacing back and forth as he spoke. "That area is home to some large warehouses from which they ship supplies for the individual hotels. Anyone with the means to rent a private space could have stashed anything they like there. It's the perfect place."

Kratos frowned and handed the paper back to Yuan. "Too good to be true, if you ask me, but I'll investigate. If this is the case, we're going to have a serious situation to deal with. We're not even sure of our enemy's intentions."

" _Or_ if they're truly our enemy."

"You think someone who'd do this has the happiness and well-being of the world's people in mind?" Kratos grumbled to himself as he placed his gloves back on. "I'll go up to Flanoir and see what information I can come up with. I suppose you're staying here to refine your calculations?"

"Yes. But speaking of information- don't you think you should let some others know about this? Lloyd, at least. It wouldn't hurt to warn him to keep his exsphere on him at all times, no matter what-"

"I'm not worried about Lloyd." Kratos shook his head. "He knows the importance of Anna's sacrifice, and he doesn't take it lightly. It would take a great force to part him with his mother. Though…" His gaze darkened a little, in reserved melancholy. "I suppose I should go to Luin after a few days in Flanoir, just to let him know that I won't be able to spend the Myrddin Festival with him like I promised."

Yuan was silent for a moment.

"You should probably get going, then. It would be rude to stand him up."

"I'm sure he'll understand." Kratos stood up from his spot by the fireplace, his expression once more regaining its impassive state. "It's a periodic comet. There'll be another Myrddin festival soon enough."

"That's true… but will Lloyd still be here in eighty years when it comes around again?"

Yuan's words cut through the humid air like an arrow. Kratos turned around and started for the door.

"Lloyd is too stubborn not to live to be a hundred. We'll see the comet again together someday."

* * *

"LLOYD IRVING. BREAK ROOM. _NOW_."

A soft chuckle moved through the diners at the Lake Sinoa Cafe, where hearing Lloyd's name yelled by the owner was an almost daily occurrence, and was put up with by the patrons as part of the dining experience by that point. Lloyd smiled at his coworkers as they understandingly took his spot at the counter temporarily. "Looks like my lunch break's starting early, huh?"

"Be careful," one of the coworkers warned. "It's only ten minutes until your break, so Miss Lucia might make you go back to work ten minutes early."

" _Or_ she'll lecture me until it's time for my lunch and then let me have the full hour."

"Keep dreaming, Lloyd."

The woman waiting for Lloyd in the back room of the cafe looked unimposing from a distance- short, with springy blonde hair and a petite frame- but all those who'd been in Luin for any stretch of time knew that Miss Lucia Orla was a goddess, and not the benevolent kind either.

"You wanted to see me, Miss Lu-"

"Lloyd Irving, you are an enigma."

She didn't even wait until he'd finished speaking to begin lecturing him. He hunched his shoulders, giving a sheepish smile.

"Is, uh, an enigma a good thing, or-?"

"The things you're good with, you _excel_ at. However, for all your skills in many areas, some other areas are _sorely lacking_. Namely the ability to FOLLOW. THE CUSTOMERS'. DIRECTIONS."

"Is, uh, this about… the hot drink thing again…?" Lloyd felt an odd discomfort creeping up his spine, the way it did whenever he was being scolded. "I was sure that I followed the directions, and-"

"One more time. I told you. If it happened one more time, you'd be hearing from me, and it would not be good." Lucia crossed her arms and approached him, looking up at him with a scowl on her face. "I do not take lightly to mishaps in my restaurant. Chaos in a cafe is inevitable- it's what a cafe thrives on- but it must be _organized_ chaos. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Miss Lucia." Lloyd looked down at his feet before taking a deep breath and raising his head again to look at her. "I'll do my best! I know I said that last time, but this time I mean it! No more assuming- I'll ask the customers specifically!"

"How can I be sure you'll do that when you say you will?"

"B-because… I swear it! On my honor as Lloyd Irving!"

Lucia considered his statement for a few moments and frowned. "Just because someone can talk big doesn't mean they're skilled at what they do. If you can't get the temperature of the customers' drinks correct, I'm going to have to ask you to step down from your current position. Do not make me ask that."

She walked out of the room, tapping him on the shoulder as she left. He watched her go out the door, glanced at the clock on the wall, and started for his belongings that were hanging in a bag on one of the racks-

"You have five minutes until your lunch break. Get back to work."

Lloyd hadn't realized that Miss Lucia was still watching. He stiffened and ran back toward the counter. "Y-yes ma'am!"

"And when you get back from break, I want you bussing tables. Miranda and Phil will handle the counter during the afternoon shift."

"Y-yes ma'am…" Lloyd's reply that time was much less enthusiastic. He stole a sidelong glance over at his pack. "Could I wear my exsphere for that? I can carry so many more plates with it-"

"You can also _break_ so many more plates. After what happened the first time, I do _not_ want you wearing that in the restaurant. Ever. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Miss Lucia…"

Lloyd trudged past her back out toward the counter. As he did so, she put a hand on his shoulder, holding him in place for a moment.

"I know it's important to you, and I promise I won't let any harm come to it. No one gets in or out of that break room without my permission. You can put it back on the second you walk out, understand?"

For once since the lecture had started, a small smile spread across his face. "Yes, Miss Lucia."

Working the counter for only five minutes felt pointless, but Lloyd wasn't going to argue. His coworkers were busy taking orders, and he thought he heard a familiar voice responding. By the time he looked up, the pair on the other side of the register had almost finished their order.

"-alright, two green tea lattes, hot or iced?"

"Have Lloyd surprise us."

Lloyd gasped as he caught sight of the two smiling faces.

"Colette? Sheena?"

* * *

"Oh man, I can't believe you guys came for lunch!" Lloyd was busy stuffing his face, but that wouldn't stop him from conversing with his friends. "How long has it been- a month? I've missed you guys coming around! You've been in Meltokio, right Sheena?"

"A bit, but I've been in Iselia for the past week. I'm delivering a report back to Meltokio, and Colette is coming with me to visit Seles, so we thought we'd stop by on the way." She responded with a nod. "By the way, your dad asked us to deliver this to you. Something about the Dwarven Vows-"

Lloyd snatched up the paper before Sheena could finish. "Oh, fantastic! Thanks so much! These are the next ten I need to learn by the time I visit home next month."

Colette finished a sip of her drink and placed it back on the table. "I thought you already knew all the Dwarven Vows."

"I do, but I'm learning them in the original Dwarven language now. See? Dwarven Vow number 52: _Cha do dh_ _ùin doras nach do dh'fhosgail doras._ When one door closes, another door opens. My, uh, pronunciation's probably a little off, but you get the idea."

"Oh wow!" Colette sat up a little straighter and clapped her hands. "That's amazing! I've heard that Dwarven is a difficult language to learn."

"The way Professor Sage talks about your grades in language arts, I'm surprised you'd pick up a second language."

" _Sheena!_ "

"No, it's okay. She's right." Lloyd shook his head. "It is hard, but I feel like I'm getting the hang of it. Besides, Dad knows how to make it fun for me- he's even taught me some jokes! Wanna try? Knock knock!"

Sheena and Colette glanced at each other before Colette began and Sheena joined in slightly delayed. "Who's there?!" "…who's there?"

"Hammy!"

"Hammy who?"

Lloyd grinned the way he always did before delivering a punch line. " _Tha mi a_ _'fuireach!_ "

There was a pause.

"… _ha mee_ _… ufoor-"_ Colette tried to repeat the phrase as though she'd understand it better if she said it herself, but Lloyd cut her off.

"It means _I_ _'m waiting._ As in- I'm waiting for you to open the door…? …get it? Because I'm knocking…?"

"Oh, I see." Colette responded with a smile, but not the laugh that Lloyd had been hoping for. Sheena chuckled, but it seemed she was laughing more at him than at his joke.

"It's probably funnier in Dwarven."

Lloyd blushed and looked down at the table. "It is."

Sheena cleared her throat and began again, tracing around the outside of her glass absentmindedly. "So what's Luin doing for the Myrddin festival? It's only a week away now, right?"

"That's right!" Mention of the upcoming festivities put a smile back on Lloyd's face. "There's going to be a huge festival setup- games, food stalls, the whole shebang! Luin has a lot of tourism nowadays, so they're trying to attract as many people as possible. I'm working part of the time, since the cafe will be going nonstop, but I have a couple of days off in the middle so that I can spend them with my dad- er, Kratos. He promised to come, since it's been a while since we've spent time together."

"I'm so happy for you. That sounds exciting!" There was a twinge of disappointment in Colette's voice as she answered. "I had been thinking about what to do for the festival myself, and I considered perhaps spending it with you here in Luin, but… I don't want to intrude on your father-son time."

Lloyd waved his hands dismissively. "Don't worry about that! The more the merrier. We'd be thrilled to have you, Colette. How could I be upset to be joined by my best friend?"

There was a pause, and he realized what he'd said, considering that Sheena was there too, and so he quickly amended the statement by speaking to her directly.

"That being said, uh… does my _other best friend_ want to join us too?"

"Sorry, but I have plans in Mizuho." Sheena answered without looking up from her glass, so Lloyd couldn't quite see her face. "The coming of Myrddin's comet is a spiritual time for the people of Mizuho. Rather than throwing festivities, we use it to reflect on our lives and the influence of emotions on our decisions and ideals. The comet, in our culture, represents loyalty; the ability to commit to a cause and return to it even after a long time of separation. There is only one elder left in the village who was alive during the last pass of the comet, so she's the one who's going to lead the ceremonies."

"That sounds amazing." Lloyd smiled. "It seems like everyone's going to be happy during the festival. I just can't wait!"

"Be careful with that enthusiasm," Sheena looked up from her glass again, and this time she had a genuine smile, much to Lloyd's relief. "Kratos might not be able to keep up."

The group spent most of the rest of Lloyd's lunch break chatting about various things- how Colette and everyone were doing in Iselia, what preparations were being made for the festival in Meltokio, a joking bet to see how many coffee stirrers Lloyd could fit in one of the café's soup mugs (the answer was fifty-six, as they couldn't find any more), and eventually a fond but melancholy goodbye as the girls needed to continue on their journey and Lloyd's lunch break was almost up. He gave Colette a farewell hug and Sheena a firm handshake as they left, and then went back toward the break room. As he passed by the counter, a coworker mumbled something about his interactions with women that, had Lloyd heard, he wouldn't have dignified with a response. But Lloyd was totally in his own world, head spinning with excitement about spending time with the people he loved, enjoying the upcoming festival.

A few others were on lunch break as well, but none of them were in the break room when Lloyd entered. He'd removed his tie for lunch and was struggling to put it back on. Needing the help of a mirror, he moved toward the back where there was a small area with a mirror and sink enclosed by a curtain. However, as soon as his hand brushed against the fabric, he heard a small ' _eep!_ ' noise and a voice he didn't recognize.

" _Is someone there_?" the voice asked.

Lloyd stepped back in surprise. "I, uh, think that's my line," he responded. A moment passed, and a young woman peeked her head out from behind the curtain. She didn't look to be more than a few years older than Lloyd himself was, but her face- as best he could see behind unruly locks of long, brown hair- held a look of pure confusion. "I've never seen you around before. Are you new? Who are you?"

The woman didn't answer any of his questions. "Who are _you_?" she repeated.

"I asked you first."

"I asked you _second_."

Seeing that it would be difficult to argue further with the strange girl, Lloyd sighed and took a step back. "I work here. My name is Lloyd. You might've heard my name before- y'know, the Lloyd Irving who's always getting yelled at by Miss Lucia?"

"Can't say I have."

"You know- the Lloyd Irving who can't get the customers' drink orders right?"

The woman shook her head, hair falling further in her face as she did so. "I don't know what you're talking about."

It was an odd sensation that Lloyd couldn't describe, but he got the feeling that the conversation wasn't going anywhere. His attempts to make conversation had thus far been brushed aside, and he couldn't tell if the girl was joking or being serious.

"I'm guessing you're not from Luin, then? Or at least haven't been to the cafe much."

"Where's Luin?"

"It's where you are right now. On Lake Sinoa, in Sylvarant."

"I don't know where those are."

"I-is there anything you _do_ know?" Lloyd was growing more and more frustrated. "Who are you, and where did you come from? How did you end up in here?"

The woman looked down at the floor for a moment as though she were examining the wood grain. "…I don't know the answer to any of those questions."

As she looked down, the curtain brushed past her side, and Lloyd realized for the first time that she didn't seem to be wearing anything at all. He jumped back in alarm, trying to look everywhere except at the girl. "Wh-wh-what happened to your _clothes_?!"

"My… clothes? I don't know."

He should've figured that would be the answer.

"Well, uh, I have a back-up uniform with me, if you'd like to borrow it. It'll be a little big on you, but it's better than nothing. If I spill something on mine before my afternoon shift is over, I'll just have to deal with it. Is that okay, uh…" He tried to recall her name for a brief second before realizing that even she didn't remember it. "…if you don't know your name, can I just call you Ida?"

"Ida?"

Lloyd spoke without looking at her, busy fishing through his bag for his spare uniform. He found the shirt, at least, and handed it over without averting his gaze. "Y'know- like, Ida Know? It sounds like 'I don't know?' It's the punch line of a knock-knock joke- _Ida who? Ida Know, ask somebody else_."

The girl laughed, which was oddly satisfying. It was certainly a better reaction than Lloyd had gotten to his Dwarven knock-knock joke earlier.

"That's funny! Ida. I like that name. And you're Lloyd?"

"Right." Lloyd cleared his throat, still unwilling to look at her but eager to know more about how a confused, amnesiac woman had ended up in the cafe's break room. "So, uh, what _do_ you remember about yourself? Can you tell me that?"

Ida didn't answer right away. It took her some time, and when she finally did answer, her voice was quiet and unsure.

"A few minutes ago, I was just… _here_. I don't remember anything about why I was here or where I'd come from or anything that happened before then. I'm sorry, Lloyd."

"No, I'm the one who's sorry." Lloyd shook his head. "I'm the one demanding answers from you when you're obviously sick or under some kind of curse or something. What you need is help finding out who you are and where you're from."

"You'd do that for me?" Ida gasped.

"What kind of person would I be if I just left you here alone? Besides, I know what it's like, not knowing anything about your family or your past before a certain point. It's the least I could do to help reunite you with your family. That's important." He had fished the extra pair of pants out of his bag, and turned back around to Ida with as comforting a smile as he could muster. "Dwarven vow number twenty-three: _'S math an sgàthan sùil caraid- '_ a friend's eye is a good mirror.' It means that sometimes you have to rely on other people to learn important things about yourself."

Ida had pushed the curtain aside, and now Lloyd could see her better- at least, what of her that wasn't obscured by her impossibly long hair. He momentarily regretted not calling her Rapunzel instead; it looked like her hair hadn't been trimmed in _years,_ and was pooling on the floor around her feet.

"Um, Lloyd? I think I skipped a button somewhere. There's one more button, but no buttonhole for it… My fingers hurt, so this is kinda tricky."

"Yeah, I see it. Let me help." Lloyd took the button from her, noticing the way her fingernails were broken down to the quick. "I do that all the time- skip buttons, I mean. It's a pain, especially when I'm in a hurry and don't even realize it until I'm behind the counter-"

"LLOYD IRVING, YOUR LUNCH BREAK ENDED FIVE MINUTES AGO. WHERE ARE YOU-?"

The door to the break room swung open, and Miss Lucia was standing on the other side. Her originally stern expression faltered a moment as she took in the sight before her, and Lloyd panicked. He realized how this probably looked, and no matter how Miss Lucia might interpret this, it didn't look good.

"Lloyd." Lucia closed her eyes, practically breathing her question as she strained to hold back her anger. "Who. Is. This?"

"…" Lloyd froze where he was, not even bothering to take his hands off the shirt buttons. "…this is Ida."

"Ida _who_?"

"Um… _Ida Know_?"

That was the wrong answer.

* * *

(( _Updates will be weekly on Wednesdays. Thanks for reading!_ ))


	2. Chapter 2

As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 15:**  
 _An luigh nach fhaighear cha_ _'n_ _ì a chobhras._  
The herb that cannot be found will not provide relief.

 **2-**

"I'm always so excited to visit Meltokio! I've never seen a town with so many people and so many things going on!" Colette was practically skipping as Zelos led her and Sheena through the entranceway of the Wilder Mansion. "The festival isn't until next week, but everyone is already celebrating. It's like a dream."

"That's just the way people in Meltokio are," Sheena hoped that she could calm Colette with logic, but it didn't seem to be working- especially with Zelos winding her up with his usual enthusiasm.

"You've never truly partied until you've partied in Meltokio, my darling Colette." Zelos walked with a flourish, motioning to the decorations that were hung up along the walls and windows. "We, here, know how to have a good time. And, of course, I'd be happy to give you some pointers-"

Sheena stepped forward between Colette and Zelos. "Uh, no. She's fine without your pointers, thanks."

"Oh, but I'm always happy to learn new ways to have fun-" Colette began, but Sheena cut her off.

"Not the way Zelos does it."

"I'm hurt that you think that, Sheena," Zelos sniffled, stopping by the base of the staircase. "I know plenty of sweet hunnies who _love_ the way I have fun-"

"Don't give us that." Sheena didn't let him get any farther. "We didn't come by here to get serenaded by you. Colette wanted to see Seles."

Colette nodded. "I was so worried when I heard she had pneumonia! I wanted to make sure that she's alright-"

"Yes, Seles is coming. I informed Tokunaga when you came in." Zelos sat down on one of the steps with a sigh. "I'm sure she'll be glad to know that you were worried about her, even if she doesn't say so. The past few weeks have been tough for her, but her nurse, Hazel, says that she's definitely recovering. The advice is bed-rest for another week at least, but Seles should be recovered by the time that the festival begins. Meanwhile, I'm going to be on a vacation of my own."

"A vacation?" Colette sat down on the step beside Zelos. "You're not going to spend the festival with your family?"

Zelos shrugged. "Seles is the only family I'd want to spend time with, and she has friends here in Meltokio she wants to celebrate with. She told me that herself. So I figured, hey, why not enjoy the festival my own way?"

"Where are you going?" Sheena raised one eyebrow. "Altamira, I presume?"

"Actually, Flanoir."

"Flanoir?!" Sheena took a step back. "But I thought you hated the cold. What are you planning to do in-?"

"Chill out, will you?- no pun intended. I'm going to a ski resort. Gonna shred some slopes, hang out with some cuties, and watch the northern lights and the comet to my heart's content. Sounds fun, right?"

Colette gasped. "Oh, it sounds really fun!"

"I'm so happy to hear that." Zelos stood up and held out his hand to Colette. "I was so glad to see you two here to visit, 'cause I'd been hoping to have some friends to invite with me. Would you two like to come?"

Colette gasped as she grabbed his hand. "Really?"

"Absolutely!" Zelos winked. "What would be better in the cold than to have some sweet snow bunnies to cuddle with?"

"Snow bunnies? There'll be snow bunnies? I want to cuddle with a snow bunny-!"

Sheena placed a hand on Colette's shoulder, pulling her away from Zelos slightly. "No, Colette. I don't think that he's talking about _actual_ snow bunnies."

"Why don't you let me explain what I'm talking about-"

" _Big brother?_ You said there were guests for me?"

At the top of the stairs, Seles appeared, a plush blanket wrapped around her shoulders and a girl about her age standing by her side.

"Seles! Oh, it's such a relief to see you on your feet again!" Colette left Zelos and Sheena behind as she bounded up the stairs.

"Colette? You didn't come all the way here just to see me, did you? That's sweet of you, but you really don't have to worry. I'm alright."

The concern in Colette's face softened. "I know, but I just can't help worrying. You understand, don't you?"

Seles chuckled weakly. "I suppose. Thank you."

The girl beside Seles bowed respectfully. "Thank you for worrying about the mistress. Your concern is appreciated."

Colette blushed, waving her hands in front of her. "O-oh, you don't have to be so formal. Seles is my friend."

"Hazel, this is the girl I was planning to send the book to- the one in Iselia." Seles motioned to Colette, turning back to speak with her. In the meantime, Hazel dug into the bag that she was carrying and pulled out a stack of papers. "I promised I'd let you be the first to read the final draft of the new Lovelace book. We think _Keys of the Heart_ is our best one yet."

" _You_ think it's the best one yet. I still think _Fortissimo_ is our best work."

Seles gave a slight "hmph" and ignored her brother's words as she pressed the papers into Colette's hands. "This one is about a concert pianist who's involved in a freak magitechnology accident that takes her left hand and claims her sister's life. Despite her desperate attempts to regain her former talent with only one hand, she is kicked out by the theater and left with nowhere to go, no one to turn to, and a secret that she can't reveal because nobody would believe her- that her sister's death was _no accident_."

Colette couldn't help drawing in a breath as Seles described the plot with such enthusiasm. Zelos, as well, hated to interrupt his sister considering he hadn't seen her this excited in weeks, but she was leaving out _his_ contributions to the story.

"Then, of course, she's taken in by a talented singer who was also cast out due to a scandal involving half-elf lineage," Zelos spoke, stepping between Seles and Colette, "and learns that true music is not made by the hands, but by the _heart_."

"Also she finds out who killed her sister." Seles pushed her brother out of the way so that she could stand face to face with Colette again. "The text is not yet final, so there might be minor changes after our editor gets to it, but-"

"Oh, I'll _treasure_ this!"

Colette and Sheena hadn't meant to spend much more time at the Wilder mansion than it would take to check on Seles' well-being, but her nurse had invited them in for a late tea-time, and it felt rude to refuse. The conversation was mostly carried by Colette and Seles, who talked incessantly about books until eventually Seles had exhausted all her energy and Hazel suggested that she should go back and rest. Zelos got up, offering to see the two girls out, but Seles requested that he come with her instead, so he called someone to escort Sheena and Colette out.

"Don't forget, my offer is still open," he spoke as he bade them farewell. "Skiing, festivities, snow bunnies- I'm not leaving until tomorrow morning, so at least think about it, will you?"

"Sure, Zelos." Sheena rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say. C'mon, Colette. It'll be dark by the time we get back, and I don't like flying rheiards in the dark."

"Oh… okay… Bye, Seles! Bye, Zelos!"

As the two walked out into the town, Sheena started to talk again as though she was anxious to say something after being fairly silent for so long. Colette listened, but didn't reply. Eventually she stopped altogether, and had to clear her throat in order to get Sheena's attention and not be left behind.

"Something wrong, Colette?"

"I, uh, was just thinking… wouldn't it be nice to spend the festival here in Meltokio? For me, I mean. I'd get to see a new kind of celebration I'm not used to, I wouldn't bother Lloyd and Kratos during their family time, and I could-"

"You want to go to Flanoir with Zelos, don't you?"

Colette looked down at her feet.

"I… don't want to inconvenience any of my friends. Lloyd is spending time with his father, Genis has classes at his university to worry about, you've got responsibilities in Mizuho, Professor Sage is on an archeological excavation… I hardly get to see my friends nowadays, and no matter how you might feel about him, Zelos is my friend too…"

Sheena closed her eyes and sighed. "I'm sorry, Colette. I give Zelos a hard time, but he's a good guy deep down, and I won't be mad if you go with him. I guess all of us have just been so busy, we haven't thought much about making time for friends."

"No, I understand! I'm busy too! I just wanted to spend the festival with a friend, that's all. Would that be okay…?" Colette's shoulders were hunched over embarrassedly, so Sheena took a step closer and placed a hand on one shoulder to relax her.

"Tell Zelos that, if he tries to put the moves on you, I'll beat him up. Okay?"

A bright smile spread across Colette's face.

"I'll tell him that! …whatever that means."

* * *

"Well, she unfortunately doesn't match any reports of missing people in the area, but as far as we can tell, she's telling the truth- or at least genuinely believes what she's saying."

Lloyd paid rapt attention to what the officer was saying to Miss Lucia, trying to figure out what they were going to do about Ida. After finding them in the break room and hearing their tale, her first reaction was to call the authorities. She was surprised when Lloyd and Ida agreed, but made an effort not to show it.

"The doctor says that there's no sign of any injuries that might account for her amnesia, but it's possible that there's a magical explanation. We don't have enough information to say yet. We'll simply file a report and see what people in other jurisdictions say. The length of her hair is an interesting feature, and that might help us figure out where she came from."

"Where will she be staying until you can find more information on her? She's too old to be taken into an orphanage, isn't she-?"

"She requested to stay with Lloyd Irving, actually, and we have no reason to keep her in our custody. So long as he's willing to support her for the time being and we can contact her if necessary, she should be fine."

" _Lloyd!_ "

There was genuine warmth in Ida's eyes as she ran up to him, waving her hands excitedly. He was happy to see her- when they'd dragged her off to be interviewed by officials and looked at by doctors, he was worried he'd never see her again. But here she was, all smiles, with a new set of clothes and her hair tied up in a loose bun.

"Ida! Thank goodness!" Lloyd reached out and grabbed both of her hands. "I can't tell you how worried I was when they said they wanted you to see the police and a doctor and-"

"I'm _fine_ , Lloyd. The doctor was very nice, and she said she couldn't find anything wrong with me. They gave me these new clothes too- isn't the skirt cute?"

Lloyd laughed softly as he watched her admire her outfit. She had gained so much enthusiasm in such a short amount of time. Perhaps it was the fact that, despite her confusion about her identity and origin, she now had the knowledge that there were people looking out for her and she had a place to go no matter what happened.

"Excuse me, Miss, but we need you to look over this paper before we finalize the report."

One of the officers approached Lloyd and Ida, holding out a clipboard with a piece of paper on it. Lloyd looked over her shoulder to see statistics such as "woman, mid-twenties," "brown eyes," "hair length 220 cm." Ida, however, was hung up on the identification name.

" _N.N._? Are those supposed to be my initials?"

" _Nomen nescio_ ," the officer answered. "It's just a term we use for people that we're unable to identify. It lets everyone who reads the report know that we don't know your true identity yet."

She frowned in response. "But I'm Ida."

"Ida? That's your name?"

"W-well, not my real name, probably... but..." She glanced over at Lloyd uneasily. "...even if my name is something else, I want to be Ida for now."

The officer thought it over for a moment and gave an amused sigh. "Very well, then. I'll write down 'answers to Ida.' You never know what might help identify someone."

"Thank you!"

Once all the commotion fully died down, Lloyd spoke with Miss Lucia and convinced her (somehow) to allow Ida to work at the cafe- just bussing tables and refilling drinks for customers. With the influx of tourists Luin was going to have soon, Lucia couldn't argue with the need for extra help around the cafe, and having Ida as a temporary employee would allow her to keep tabs on the girl.

"What a night," Lloyd groaned as he began walking back to his home. Ida was following behind him like an obedient dog- similar to the way Noishe sometimes did when he visited. Lloyd hadn't seen Noishe in a while, and just assumed that the creature was following Kratos around instead of him. Should he be jealous? Probably not, but that didn't help a feeling of discomfort about Noishe's absence. "I want to go straight to bed and crash, but we should probably have dinner first. Is there anything special you'd like me to make? The market is just down the street- they may be closing up now, but I can still get a few things if I hurry."

The house was a tiny place, big enough for just a bedroom, bath, and kitchen, but it was a place all his own, and Lloyd was proud of the life he'd built there. Every paycheck from the café job brought him closer and closer to having his own boat and setting out on his dream adventure, and that made all the difficulties of day to day life worth it in the end. Ida made herself comfortable in the plush chair near the door, watching as Lloyd retrieved a cookbook from the nearby shelf.

"Take a look through here and see what you like."

Despite Ida's amnesia, she had no trouble reading, it seemed. " _The mysterious gourmet, Wonder Chef_...? Oh my, there's so much here. How about this one?"

Lloyd leaned over the book to see it and cringed in disgust. "Spaghetti? Gee, I wish we could, but... uh... y'see, the price of tomatoes nowadays is through the roof. I mean, crazy high. I'd like to treat you, but I just can't afford a luxury like that right now, so... if you want something with pasta, how about this carbonara instead?"

While Lloyd went to the market to get the ingredients they needed for dinner, Ida followed the doctor's instructions and took a bath, washing her hair thoroughly and brushing it to keep it from matting. By the time that Lloyd got home and finished cooking, she had emerged from the bath, dressed in a set of night-clothes she'd been given, trying desperately to dry her mass of hair.

"After dinner, will you help me brush my hair? No matter what I do, I can't seem to get all the knots out of it."

"We should at least cut it- just to a manageable length," Lloyd replied. "But for now, uh, let's get some dinner. You're hungry, right?"

'Hungry' was not the word he should've used to describe it. Ida ate ravenously, claiming she felt like she hadn't eaten in years. She didn't eat much, considering, but Lloyd mentioned that going a long time without eating causes the stomach to grow smaller, and he didn't force Ida to eat more than she wanted.

They took a seat by the door, Ida sitting in the chair and Lloyd working around her with shears to snip off what he could of her hair without taking away from her appearance. He cut it so that it still fell to her waist; a fair length all things considered but much more manageable than she'd had before. Once that was done, he tied it back to keep it out of her face, and stepped back to observe his work. He'd caught glimpses of her face before, so he didn't expect to be caught off-guard, but when he came face to face with her, he stopped abruptly.

"…Ida… you…"

She tilted her head in confusion. "Is something wrong, Lloyd? Is there something on my face? What's with that look-?"

Lloyd stiffened as he realized that she didn't have a decent grasp of what was going on- and neither did he. "Oh, n-no! Nothing's wrong! I'm sorry, for a second, you looked like someone…"

"Looked like someone? As in, someone you know? You might know who I am?" Ida jumped to her feet and reached forward to grab Lloyd's hands. "If you recognize me, then-"

"Ida, stop. You can't be the person I think you look like."

Her expression fell. "Why not?"

"That person died many years ago. She died when I was young, so I barely remember her. The only reason I know you look like her is that I have a picture. I didn't mean to get your hopes up, I was just surprised."

"…" Ida took a step back, sitting back down in the chair once again. "…oh. I see. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you upset."

"N-no, you didn't! You can't control what you look like. I mean, Luin was her hometown, so it's possible you and she are related somehow. If that's the case, we might be able to find your relatives, or at least people who might know you!" Lloyd waved his hands, taking a few steps back into the kitchen. "Um, anyway, it's getting late, so we should probably turn in for the night. I can sleep in the chair if you'd like to take the bed-"

"I can sleep in the chair," Ida responded before he finished. "Do you have a blanket?"

"I have plenty. I'll get you several."

Within a few minutes, Lloyd had done his best to make Ida comfortable, and she fell quickly into a deep sleep. Worried for her safety, Lloyd stayed in the kitchen, sitting at the table to keep an eye on her. He couldn't focus much on her, however, as his eyes kept wandering back to his own hands. Sighing softly, he began to trace his finger around the perimeter of his exsphere, examining the stone carefully. Ever since he'd learned of the true nature of exspheres, he found himself fascinated by looking at it and feeling the soft glow of energy it gave off. It was as though his mother were still there with him, comforting him and encouraging him. Tonight it felt no different, but… Lloyd himself felt different. Eventually satisfied that Ida was safe, he went back to his bedroom and changed into pajamas. He knew that he was going to work early in the morning and needed to rest, but his mind wouldn't shut down. As he lay in bed trying to decide whether or not to turn out the light, he reached over and plucked a locket off the nightstand. It was one he kept close to him at all times, but hadn't looked into much recently. Maybe, he thought, his mind was playing tricks on him. But as he cracked open the locket, there staring back at him was an all-too familiar face.

"…Mom? Do you know anything about Ida? Why does she look like you? Why can't she remember anything? Who is she…?"

Lloyd waited for a moment, but the answers didn't come. He set the locket back down on the nightstand and turned out the light.

Perhaps it would make more sense in the morning.


	3. Chapter 3

As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 30:**  
 _I dtosach na h-aic_ _ìde is fusa ì a leigheas._  
It is easier to cure a disease if caught early.

 **3-**

"Oh, Miss Brunel. Did you forget something?"

Colette was greeted politely at the door when she showed up back at the Wilder mansion. She glanced around, wondering whether or not she would be intruding on Zelos and Seles' time together by requesting to see him. "Um, no. I'm here to see Zelos."

"I see. Step inside, then. I'll let him know that you've returned."

Colette waited a few minutes and then was directed by Seles' butler up to her room. Even from outside the door, she could hear Zelos and Seles talking. Seles' voice was tired, but it was firm, and she wasn't backing down on her argument.

"-and Marie's death will provide just the character development that he needs to renew his determination." "Seles, I'm not a fan of killing off love interests just for plot's sake- you know that." "It's not just plot. This makes sense for Jonathan's whole character arc-" "-I understand what you're saying, but what about _Marie_ _'s_ character arc? Are we going to deny her any development for the sake of-" "We're not denying her anything. If she forgives her father before her death, then-" "But with what you're talking about, there's no way she'd have enough time to come to terms with what happened-"

"Master? Miss Brunel is here to see you."

Colette peeked her head through the crack in the door timidly. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt-"

"Don't be sorry, my darling! You're just the interruption that we needed." Zelos stood up and ran up to Colette to grab her hand and pull her into the room. "We've reached a bit of an impasse, you see. I think we both just need some time to think about it."

Seles made a "hmph" noise and turned her head away.

"Anyway, I assume that you're here because you rethought my offer?"

"Yes, that's right." Colette gave a nod. "I've decided that I'd very much like to spend the festival with you… if you'd be happy to have me-"

"Happy to have you? I'm thrilled!" Zelos tugged on Colette's hand some more, twirling her around as though they were dancing. "Hear that, Seles? Now you don't have to worry so much. I have a friend to accompany me after all."

Seles repositioned her pillow so that she could better make eye contact with Colette. "Of everyone who could chaperon him, I'm glad it's you, Colette. Please take care of my brother. Make sure he doesn't do anything that he'd regret."

"Oh, come on, little sister! What are you implying?"

Seles didn't answer directly. "Just don't do anything stupid, alright?"

"When have _I_ ever done anything stupid?"

No one spoke a response, but the nurse, Hazel, who'd been standing in the corner watching the entire time coughed conspicuously. It sounded genuine, so perhaps she simply had something in her throat, but it was unlikely. Zelos sighed.

"Okay, so maybe I've done some stupid things in the past, but trust me. I've learned my lesson…s."

Seles closed her eyes and nodded. "Whatever you say, brother. When will you be leaving tomorrow morning?"

"Early, so you don't have to see us off."

"I will see you off no matter how early you leave."

Zelos groaned, running a hand through his hair. "Of course you will. Alright, fair enough. Meet us at the entryway at six o'clock tomorrow morning. Don't worry about dressing nicely; I expect you to go right back to bed afterward."

"That's fine. I'll see you then, Zelos."

"See you then, Seles. Good night."

Zelos nodded gently and walked toward the door. As he did so, he slung his arm around Colette's shoulder so that he could pull her along with him.

"Walk with me, Colette. Let's discuss a potential itinerary for the next few days, shall we?"

"…good night, Seles. Hope you feel better." Colette waved as they left the room and the butler closed the door behind them. Zelos gave the man a wake-up time for them and requested that he prepare a temporary room for Colette, so that she wouldn't have to go to the trouble of staying in an inn. Colette wanted to protest, but Zelos sent the butler away and steered her toward one of the mansion's drawing rooms, closing the door behind them. She was surprised with his sudden desire for privacy, but not so much so that it kept her from speaking up about her qualms. "You really don't have to go to all this trouble for me. I'd be happy just to meet you tomorrow morning."

"Don't worry about a thing. You're never any trouble." Zelos shook his head. The enthusiasm in his voice had dropped significantly. "Right now, I want to make sure you're really willing to come with me on this trip in the first place."

"…willing? What does that mean?"

He sat down and motioned for her to sit as well. "I respect you too much to lie to you. Seles too, but… if she knew what I was really doing, she'd go to serious lengths to prevent me from going. I couldn't say anything in front of her, but now that we're alone, I want to be frank with you about my plans. I'm not going to put you in danger without your consent."

Colette sat down in a chair opposite him, unsure of how to respond. "Put me in danger? Zelos, what's going on?"

Zelos closed his eyes and sighed. "It's like this. A few days ago I received a report that some of the warehouses my family manages up in the Flanoir area had been registering abnormal levels of mana around the outside of their facilities. The only explanation they can figure is that someone is storing something powerful in one of the rental units. However, their contracts don't require clients to register what they're storing or a purpose for their storage, and their technology used to detect mana levels is not sophisticated enough to determine a specific source unit for the abnormal readings. Because of that, they can't get a warrant to search. There's nothing they can do right now."

"But… if there's nothing they can do, then why are you going?" Colette shifted her weight uneasily. "What could you do that they can't?"

"Officially, nothing. But as a single person, I can gather information. The worst case scenario I can imagine for this is that someone is hiding a magitechnology weapon in preparation for an act of terrorism on the area during the festival. Many people will be gathering there, so it's not unheard of. I want to go do what I can to put a stop to it if at all possible."

"That's… terrifying," Colette murmured, wringing her hands. "Are you sure of this?"

"I'm not. For all we know, the source of the mana anomaly could be completely benign. But I want to go and find out for myself. I don't want to take any chances with people's safety." Zelos shook his head. "If I have the chance to help people and I don't take it, what kind of man would that make me?"

There was a long silence. Outside it had begun raining, and the sound of raindrops pattering against the windowpanes was a nice enough distraction that both Colette and Zelos could be alone with their thoughts for a while before answering.

"…Sheena was right. You really are a good person, Zelos."

"Whoa, _Sheena_ said that? So that's how she talks about me when I'm not around. Good to know." Zelos chuckled, helping to dispel some of the tension. "Anyway, you're welcome to back out if you want. I won't judge you for it. This festival is supposed to be a fun time, and it's not my place to force you into something like this."

"You're not forcing me into anything." Colette shook her head. "I _want_ to go."

"For real?"

"Yes."

"You're sure?"

"I'm sure."

Zelos looked down at the floor and sighed- a sigh of relief, as though a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

"That makes me feel a lot more confident somehow. Thank you, Colette."

* * *

The next morning, Ida awoke with tales of dreams she'd had- memories she was sure were part of her life and keys to who she really was. Except… they were fuzzy and difficult to identify. One memory was of her as a young girl, on the shores of lake Sinoa. She said it was different from how she'd seen it today, and Lloyd told her of how the city had recently been rebuilt, and that it would make sense that it would've looked different for her when she was a child. She also said she had a memory of collecting flowers in a large field with someone on a sunny day. She couldn't say who the person was, whether they were male or female, a family member or friend, but she said that being with that person made her feel happy- happier than she could remember ever being.

Perhaps that didn't mean much, considering how few memories she had, but it was something.

Lloyd encouraged Ida to write down what she'd dreamed about, hoping that perhaps her memories would continue to resurface in dreams, and eventually one would be enough to tell her something more about herself.

As the morning shift pressed on as usual at the cafe, Miss Lucia actually made a comment to Lloyd about what a hard worker Ida was. She complimented Ida's honest work ethic and friendly attitude, giving Lloyd a subtle nudge as she did so.

"You don't want to lose to her, do you?"

"Miss Lucia, are you trying to get me to compete with Ida in an attempt to improve my customer-service skills?"

"I'm just pointing out some characteristics of a good employee. You could learn a few things from watching her."

Lloyd waited until Miss Lucia was out of earshot to groan. Of course she'd find some way to turn the situation on him. It wasn't fair- suddenly it was as though she liked Ida more than she liked him. He didn't even have any customers to appeal to right now, as it was halfway between the breakfast rush and the lunch rush, a time on weekdays when business was particularly slow. Most of the people who came for brunch on weekdays were elderly folk, and they were happy to see Lloyd anyway because of his perpetual energy. Standing out to them wouldn't be anything impressive.

It surprised everyone in the cafe, then, when a young-looking man entered. Lloyd happened to be working on a problem with the espresso machine at that moment, so he was too wrapped up in his work to notice what was going on. Ida was the one closest one to the door, so she took over greeting the customer as he entered. She'd noticed him looking in the window from outside, assuming he'd been trying to decide whether or not to come in. She didn't recognize him, but he was… handsome. She didn't know whether she had a lover or spouse, but at the moment that didn't matter. She wanted desperately for this man to come into the cafe so that she could speak to him. Her heart skipped a beat when he opened the door.

"Good morning- welcome!"

He approached her directly, his eyes on her nametag. "…Ida?" he asked as soon as he was close enough to read it.

"Y-yes. I'm new here, so I apologize that I don't recognize you. Are you a regular, or is this your first time? Do you want to hear about our daily specials-?"

" _Chan eil m_ _òran tìd agam. Am faigh sibh deoch uisge dhomh?_ "

Ida didn't skip a beat. "Yes, sir! Would you like ice in it?"

"I would, thank you."

She scurried off behind the counter to prepare the drink, leaving a couple of her coworkers staring in surprise. One leaned over to the other and whispered- " _Do you know what he said to her?_ " The answer was " _No, but she obviously understood it. Either that, or she_ _'s just too embarrassed to admit that she didn't understand something on her first day." "You really think she'd just_ guess _what he wants? Besides, she obviously knew it was a drink._ _" "She doesn't even remember who she is. How could she possibly remember some foreign language?" "That's true, but…"_

Lloyd was still working under the counter, trying to find a small mechanical piece that had fallen. He noticed Ida pouring a glass of water nearby and called out to her. "Hey- you have small hands, right? Can you help me get this piece from under the table? I can't quite reach it-"

"Sorry. I'm getting this for a customer."

"It'll only take a second-"

"He said he's in a hurry."

And with that, she left. Lloyd wasn't sure what to think. Thankfully, he was able to maneuver his hand around and just barely grab hold of the small metal piece. He couldn't quite focus on it however- was Ida brushing him off now because of the praise that she'd gotten from Miss Lucia? Was she really that shallow? He couldn't believe-

"Lloyd? Isn't that your…?" Miss Lucia tapped him on the shoulder and pointed to the counter, where Kratos was already asking to speak with his son. Lloyd didn't believe it at first, but that didn't last long.

"Dad!"

Lloyd had to admit, Kratos didn't look particularly happy, but he figured that was how Kratos always was, and didn't let it bother him. Why would his dad have come early for the festival if he hadn't wanted to spend extra time with his son? Besides- perhaps with his knowledge of Lloyd's mother's past, he could help them figure out who Ida was! Wouldn't that be great?

"Lloyd. I need to speak with you."

"Yeah, of course! I wasn't expecting you so early- I didn't think you were going to come until the festival had gotten started. This is great! Can I get you something else to drink? Ida already got you water, I guess…"

"Yes, she did." Kratos answered only Lloyd's last question. "When is your next break? We need to talk, and I'd prefer to do it outside."

"Huh? Oh, uh, it's not for another twenty minutes or so, but we're pretty empty now, so Miss Lucia might not mind me taking it early." Lloyd shrugged. "But there's someone I want you to meet first. Ida! Come here for a second!"

He didn't have to call. Ida was already standing a short distance away, ready to join them as soon as she received an invitation.

"Dad, this is Ida. Ida- this is Kratos, my dad."

"Your dad? I thought your dad was a dwarf-"

"N-no! This is my _other_ dad. I was raised by Dirk after my mom died, but Kratos is my birth father. He's come to visit for the Myrddin festival, and I'm hoping that maybe he'll be able to help us figure out who you are."

Ida nodded toward Lloyd and turned to give Kratos a respectful bow. "N-nice to meet you, Mister Kratos! I've been in a bit of a troublesome spot since last night, and your son has helped me out a lot. I'm very grateful to him."

"I see," was Kratos' only response to her. He was more interested in speaking to Lloyd. "Ask your boss about that break, will you?"

"Yeah, sure."

Within a few minutes, Lloyd and Kratos had taken a seat at one of the tables under the patio by the lake. It was the table next to the railing, off of which people enjoyed throwing bread crumbs to the fish on occasion, and it was Lloyd's favorite spot for that reason. Kratos hadn't said anything, so Lloyd finally cleared his throat and began, glancing around before speaking.

"Ida… looks like Mom, doesn't she? Is that what you wanted to talk to me about?" He tapped his fingers against the table uneasily. "I'm sorry I didn't say anything, but I didn't know you were planning to visit. I hope she didn't surprise you-"

"Lloyd, you're not wearing your exsphere."

"Huh? W-well, my first day on the job, I accidentally got overzealous about cleaning plates, since I could carry so many with my exsphere, and I…" Lloyd scratched the back of his head with a sheepish chuckle. "…I dropped them all and broke a lot. Miss Lucia doesn't let me wear it in the cafe now."

"I wasn't aware of this. I don't think I've ever visited you here." Kratos seemed to be more interested in watching the ice in his drink than actually drinking it.

"Yeah, you always visit during my time off. I know you met Miss Lucia at the market that one time, but…"

Lloyd's voice had trailed off, so Kratos decided that was his cue to pick up his side of the conversation. "Tell me, where did the name _Ida_ come from?"

"Oh that? I, uh, kinda made it up. It was a joke at first, but she likes it, so it's good enough for now." Lloyd shrugged. "The thing is, she just appeared in the break room yesterday- no knowledge of who she was or how she got there. We can't figure out who she is or where she comes from, so I'm trying to help as much as I can. I realized last night that she looks like Mom, so I figured that maybe she's somehow family. Mom was from Luin, right? Do you think she could be related to Ida somehow-?"

"No." Kratos replied before Lloyd could finish the last word. "That being- the one you call _Ida_ \- should not exist."

There was a pause. A cold wind blew across the seating area, tugging at the umbrella at their table from underneath, and Lloyd instinctively reached for it, even though he knew it was locked in place. He couldn't think about anything else, he was too busy processing what he'd just heard.

"…what? What are you talking about?"

"That being should not exist in this world."

"I don't understand. You can't be talking about Ida." Lloyd shook his head. "She's a person. She's alive. How can you say that she's not supposed to exist? Doesn't every living being have the right to exist? From the time they're born, every-"

"I will not argue with you on whether that being is alive or not," Kratos interrupted. "But it should not have been alive in the first place."

Lloyd was silent for a moment, trying to figure out what to say next. "I… Dad, I don't understand."

"You don't have to understand. You just have to trust me." Kratos closed his eyes and sighed. "I was hoping this wouldn't happen, but it's obvious I didn't consider all the factors involved. I need you to take care of the situation."

"Take care of the…?" Lloyd moved his chair back a bit from the table. "What are you saying? I promised Ida that I'd help her figure out who she is and where she comes from. Isn't that taking care of the situation enough?"

"But this _Ida_ should not exist in the first place. Every moment it does, irreversible damage is done."

Lloyd shook his head back and forth. "That can't be true! She's a real person, and she wants to know who she is just like anyone else. I _won_ _'t_ do anything to hurt her."

"If you don't act quickly, you will regret it."

"Regret it? Regret _what_?" At this point, Lloyd was getting fed up with the conversation. He stood up, leaning over the table to give him some height over his father. "If this whole thing is so important to you, why don't _you_ get rid of her?"

Kratos didn't flinch. He kept his eyes fixed firmly on Lloyd's.

"I can't."

"What do you mean you can't? That doesn't make any sense! Why can't you?"

"If I told you, odds are that you couldn't do it either." Kratos closed his eyes and turned his face away from Lloyd's. "Once the issue is resolved, I'll explain everything."

" _That_ _'s not good enough_!" Lloyd shoved his chair out of the way and ran around to Kratos' side so that they were face to face again. "To say that, if you told me why I was doing it I wouldn't be able to… doesn't that mean it's wrong?"

"No. It means that doing the right thing is difficult sometimes."

"Even so, if it's the right thing to do, I could muster the courage to do it. So could you. But if you won't tell me, then I have to assume that it's _not_ the right thing to do."

"Lloyd." Kratos stood up as well, grabbing hold of Lloyd's arm. "Every moment _Ida_ exists, permanent damage is done to your exsphere. The longer you wait, the greater the repercussions will be. You _must_ do something before Anna's soul is irretrievably lost."

"…" Lloyd stood still, not even bothering to tug his arm away. His mouth hung open, unable to formulate a response. "… _why?_ What is Ida doing to Mom's soul? Who is she, and how could she possibly be…? Y'know what- why don't we talk to her instead? Maybe she'll know how to stop it."

"She couldn't. At this point, she knows nothing."

"How can you say that without even meeting her?" Lloyd finally tugged his arm free. "Wait at least until the end of the Myrddin festival. Take that time to get to know her, and then maybe you'll feel differently."

Kratos shook his head. "By then it will be too late."

"Too late? I don't get it. Can we talk about this more later- maybe when I have more time? My break is almost over, but I get off early tonight. The three of us can have dinner together, and then-"

"I can't stay. There are things I need to take care of. I came here only to tell you that I won't be able to spend the festival with you, but a more pressing concern presented itself, and I had to address that first. I trust you, Lloyd, that you'll do what's best for your mother's sake."

"…no…no, that can't be right…" Lloyd stepped back. "What came up that you can't spend the festival with us? What's going on? _Kratos,_ why won't you answer my questions?!"

No response was offered.


	4. Chapter 4

I'm late with this chapter- my apologies! I forgot about my update schedule this week, but I DID successfully present my thesis research at a regional conference, so… priorities, I guess. As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 14:**  
 _B_ _' i sin reul 's an oidhche dhoilleir._  
Even a small star shines in the darkness.

 **4-**

Seles crushed the piece of paper she was holding in her hands as she spoke. "I don't care. I want transportation to Flanoir arranged at once."

"I forbid it."

"That wasn't a request, Hazel. It was an order. Call Tokunaga here immediately so that we can discuss the specifics."

Hazel shook her head. She was sitting in a chair opposite Seles' bed and refused to stand up. "I will not."

"What do you mean, you will not?! Did you _read_ this letter? Brother has no idea what he's getting into." Seles uncrumpled the paper and tapped it.

"With all due respect, Mistress, neither do you. Your worry is entirely speculation. Master Zelos said that he has no way of knowing whether there is a true threat."

"That doesn't mean we should sit by and let him endanger himself _and_ Colette-"

"They are both in good health. If you were to go to Flanoir with them, you would only be needlessly endangering yourself." Hazel closed her eyes and stood up. "I will ask Tokunaga to arrange for letters to be delivered to anyone you'd like to contact. Feel free to begin writing them, and-"

"You don't understand!" Seles scrambled out of bed and ran toward the door to cut Hazel off. The nurse flinched and reached out to Seles in an attempt to corral her back into bed, but it was no use. Seles had a firm grip and she held Hazel's arm out a short distance in front of her. "I'm going to Flanoir whether you like it or not. Whether or not you help me is your choice."

The look on Hazel's face dissolved into one of helplessness. "… _Seles_ , why? Don't you _trust_ your brother?"

"I do. But I also know that he has the tendency to be stubborn, and I fear for him. If he realizes that he's walked into a trap, even if there's still an escape possible, he won't back out. I know the Zelos I talk about in the past might have, but the Zelos I know today wouldn't run away, even when he probably should. That's the kind of person he's become."

Hazel looked away, nervous to make eye contact. "…how are you so sure that it's a trap?"

"If I were the one writing the story, it would definitely be a trap."

"But you're not writing this."

"I know. _Someone_ is, though."

"…Seles… I just don't want anything to happen to you." Hazel brought her nervous gaze back up to match Seles'. "I lo-"

"No." Seles released Hazel's arm and jerked her own away abruptly. "Don't say it. If you're saying it just to make me change my mind, you don't mean it."

"I'm sorry, Mistress."

There was a brief silence between the two. Hazel bowed her head respectfully and turned around toward the door.

"…If I agree to arrange transportation to Flanoir in two days, just to allow you to rest and recover fully from your recent illness, will you be satisfied?"

Seles thought it over for a moment, weighing an assessment of her own current health.

"I will. Not happy, but satisfied."

"Thank you, Mistress. I'll talk to your butler and see that he arranges everything. In the meantime, if you want to send a letter, I'll try to get it posted by this afternoon."

"Did you catch where Miss Fujibayashi was going after her visit yesterday? I believe she's currently in Iselia."

"Yes, that's what I understood."

"I'll write to her, then. She can travel faster than we can, and while I don't think she particularly cares for my brother, she respects him and he her."

"She may not be able to do anything, considering the upcoming responsibilities she mentioned in Mizuho, but she may be the best person to contact regardless."

"I agree."

Seles made herself comfortable in bed once again, propping the pillows up so that she could sit up and write. Hazel stayed by the door watching her for a few minutes before finally sighing and stepping out in the hallway.

"I must apologize, Mistress."

"Hm?"

Hazel's head was bowed and her eyes covered by her hair, so Seles couldn't see what her expression was. "It seems I always fail you. My job is to take care of you, and yet… I always choose your happiness over your safety. Your brother would never do that to you. He loves you more than I ever could."

* * *

There was some mumbling in the cafe as Lloyd returned to his shift following his break. Though no one could hear what the topic of the conversation was, with as slow as business was being, they all had time to watch Lloyd fight with his father on the patio. It was clear the two had left at odds with one another, and Lloyd was frowning when he re-entered- a rare sight. He could feel the chatter of his coworkers around him, as if they were trying to add insult to injury.

"Dwarven vow 47: _B_ _' fheárr a bhith sámhach na droch dhán a ghabhail_ ," he muttered to himself under his breath.

"Lloyd!" Ida waved to him as he approached the counter, seemingly oblivious to what was going on. "What are you talking about? Something about singing?"

"Oh, uh, that's one of the Dwarven Vows. Forty-seven: it's better to be quiet than to sing a bad song. It means that, if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at- _wait_!" He stopped. "How'd you know that? Do you speak Dwarven?"

"Um, I don't know." Ida dodged the question in her usual manner. "So, did your chat with your dad go well?"

Lloyd gave an amused sigh. "You weren't watching, were you?"

"You mean spying on you? That'd be rude!" Ida looked away, tapping her fingers together. "So did he, um, say anything about me…?"

Lloyd stiffened. Did she know what they'd discussed? Kratos had said she wouldn't. "Like, what about you, specifically?"

"I-I don't know… just about me in general. Did he say he wanted to get to know me better…?" Ida was staring at her feet and her face had visibly reddened. "Because I would like to get to know him better. He seemed nice."

"Did we… did we talk to the same person?" Lloyd was utterly baffled by her behavior, and it didn't click with him until just a moment later. "Wait, what are you saying? Ida, this is my _dad_ we're talking about-"

"I know, I know! It's just that… well, meeting him made me really happy. So I want to see him again, if only to know that what I felt was real. If he's going to be here for the Myrddin festival, then that'll be the perfect chance. That's not too much to ask, is it?"

Lloyd paused. He felt his muscles tense up as he tried to think of how to phrase what he wanted to say. He didn't want to lie to her.

"…Ida… the, uh, truth is… he…"

"Yes?"

"…he… said…" Lloyd clenched his teeth and then pressed forward without even thinking. "…he said that he hopes you don't stay like this for long- like, with your memory and stuff. I told him I was going to help you, and he was insistent that I do my best to take care of the situation."

"Really?" The brightness in Ida's eyes totally dispelled the initial guilt that Lloyd had felt about his not-quite-honest answer.

"Yeah. And, well, unfortunately he's had something come up and won't be able to come to the festival, but I'll do my best to find another time when the two of you can meet. Is that okay?"

"Oh, thank you, Lloyd!" Ida hugged him enthusiastically, knocking the air out of him. He hadn't realized just how strong she really was.

"N-n-no problem…" he choked, giving her a weak thumbs-up. "It's nothing, rea-"

" _Hey, hey!_ Save it for after hours, you two. You're both on the clock." Miss Lucia's voice brought the both of them back to reality. She shooed Ida away from the counter to go clean some tables, and stood next to Lloyd, monitoring the restaurant's seating area. "I wasn't watching, but it sounds from the others like your conversation with your father didn't go as well as it should have."

Lloyd shifted his weight. "It's complicated. I still can't understand him the way I wish I was able to. In some ways, I wonder if he doesn't feel the same about me, but our lives and experiences are just too different…" He stopped and turned around. "Ah, sorry! I shouldn't be discussing personal matters now."

He feared a scolding from Lucia, but it never came. She simply turned around and waved for him to get back to work, whispering something to him quickly.

" _As long as you_ _'re on the clock, you're my employee. But if you ever need help after hours, know you have somebody in Luin you can count on. Okay_?"

"Wh-what did you say?" Lloyd gasped, trying to figure out if he'd heard her correctly.

"I said this is no time for small talk. Get back to work."

"…yes, Miss Lucia." Lloyd couldn't help but smile. "I will."

* * *

The following day was uneventful for both Lloyd and Ida. It was somewhat a welcome relief from the stress of the day prior, but also somewhat nerve-wracking. Lloyd half expected Kratos to show up again to see if Ida was still alive, but he didn't. Ida, who had written down more pleasant memories from her dreams the night before, seemed almost in a daze. She'd had a dream involving herself as a little girl again, still on Lake Sinoa, but this time with an elderly woman who she said must have been a grandmother or other relative who she loved dearly. Another dream was less pleasant, one of being held in a dark, cold place all alone with strange sounds muddled in the background, but even that one had a feeling of hope to it, as though she knew escape were imminent and sunlight was right around the corner. She _was_ free now, right? So surely she had escaped wherever it was she'd been held. That thought process alone kept her from worrying about it.

Lloyd, however, couldn't help thinking about it. The description of it sounded too much like being in a laboratory, being experimented on the way the Desians had done with so many humans. Did that have anything to do with Kratos' statement that Ida shouldn't exist? Of course he didn't say anything to her, but Lloyd couldn't help dwelling on it, and was distracted most of the day. Ida offered to cook dinner for them that night, but he refused, asking her instead to cook the following night. He needed something to take his mind off of things for a while, and preparing his favorite meat stew always did just that.

Of course, it wasn't too long before dinner was over and the two retired to sleep for the night, Ida still in the chair and Lloyd in his bed. He fell into somewhat of a daze for several hours, but couldn't quite manage to get to sleep. His mind wouldn't shut down, and no matter how he tossed and turned, the idea of Ida being some sort of test experiment wouldn't leave his consciousness. What if Kratos was right? What if there was something truly dangerous about Ida's existence after all? If that was the case, then… why would waiting until after the Myrddin festival be too late? How soon did he need to act…?

Lloyd turned over in bed, once more nearing consciousness and preparing to dip back into half-sleep again, but something at the corner of his senses caught his attention and dragged him back awake. He sat up in bed, listening closely to make sure that what he'd heard was real.

It was… _crying_?

"Ida!"

He ran out into the main room, almost frightened of what he'd find. Ida was sitting in the chair, wrapped up with the blankets and sobbing quietly to herself. Her head was buried against her knees, and she didn't acknowledge Lloyd's presence, so he gently tapped her shoulder.

"Ida, what's going on? Are you alright? Did you have another dream?"

Ida lifted her head only enough to nod.

"D-don't worry, I'm here. It was just-" Lloyd stopped himself. He almost said something like ' _it was just a dream, it_ _'s not real_ ' the way he'd done for Colette and Genis when they were young. But this was more than a dream. These were more likely than not memories from Ida's past and clues to who she was. If it had disturbed her this greatly, then surely there was something important about it. "-I'm here. What happened?"

"Th-they were chasing me…" Ida murmured through tears.

"Who? Who was chasing you?"

"I don't know. But they- th-they were going to take my baby. I can't let them hurt my baby, I _can_ _'t-_ "

"Hold on. Baby? As in _your_ child? Start from the beginning and tell me what happened in your dream. You'll remember it better if you do."

Ida sniffled and wiped her nose with the back of her sleeve as she worked to gain her composure. "Well, the first thing I remember is someone telling me to run. It was a man's voice, but I never actually saw him- I don't know who he was. All I know is that he was trying to protect me. I didn't want to leave him there, but more than anything else, I wanted to protect my baby. So I ran."

"Do you know who was chasing you?"

"No."

"But you seem certain that the baby you were holding was yours."

"Yes." Ida sniffled again. "I'm positive it was _my_ baby. But if it was, where is it now? What happened to my baby? Do you think that those people-?"

Lloyd grabbed her shoulders to steady her. "Don't think about that right now. Just finish telling me about your dream. Did you get caught?"

"N-no. Eventually we stopped running when we felt safe. I think we lost them."

"And then what happened?"

"That's all I remember."

"So you weren't caught. You got away." Lloyd tried to reason with her. "If there was nothing in your dream to indicate that you got caught, then you _must_ have escaped. There's no need to cry."

" _But Lloyd_!" Ida grabbed hold of his shirt to tug him closer. "Even if we got away _then_ , where is my baby _now_?"

"…I wish I could tell you that…"

"Th-they could be anywhere… with anyone… or all alone…" Ida pressed her face against Lloyd's chest, sobbing openly again. "…and I can't even remember their name, much less how to find them… what kind of mother _am_ I?"

"A good one," was Lloyd's immediate response. "The fact that you're so upset about this means you care about your child more than anything. My mom died trying to protect me when I was very young. She wasn't there for me after that and she didn't get to see me grow up. But I've never thought for a second that she was a bad mother. If you really love your baby and are willing to protect it no matter what, isn't that what matters?"

Ida tugged herself away from him, wiping her eyes as she did so, her sobs subsiding. "…I guess so… but I'm still worried…"

"I didn't say not to worry. I just said not to think you're a bad mother." Lloyd brushed her hair out of her face.

"But why were those people chasing us? What did they want with us? If I just knew that, then maybe I could do something."

Lloyd was quiet for a moment. He finally took a deep breath and steeled his nerve to speak.

"I have to apologize to you, Ida. The other day, I spoke to someone who… who told me that he believed you shouldn't exist."

Her face paled as she heard the end of his sentence. "…shouldn't _what_?"

"I know. It sounds crazy too. But he was saying that you shouldn't exist; like, you should never have been born and he wanted me to kill you. And not only did I keep it a secret from you, but for a short time I actually considered it. I should've known better. You're a _person._ Even if it's true and you shouldn't have been born in the first place, that doesn't change the fact that you _were_. And once you're born, you have a right to live. That's what I believe, anyway."

"…Lloyd…"

"Maybe those people who were chasing you thought you shouldn't exist and wanted to kill you. But as long as I'm around, I won't let anything happen- to you or your family. I _will_ make sure that you're reunited with your baby again. As a child who lost his mother, I'll do everything I can to keep a mother from losing her child."

"…Lloyd…" Ida repeated his name, beginning to sob again. However, these tears came from a place of happiness rather than fear. She threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly. "…thank you."

"Now's not the time for that." Lloyd shook his head. "Don't thank me until you're holding your baby in your arms again. Promise?"

Ida pulled away, sniffling and wiping her eyes again. "Okay. I promise."

The two sat in silence for a while as Ida fully regained her composure and Lloyd thought through the situation. He finally cleared his throat and spoke up again.

"…it's not certain, but I assume that if you have a baby, you also have a lover somewhere. Do you think so?"

"Possibly." Ida nodded in response. "The man who called out to me in my dream… I can't be sure, but I think it might have been him."

"He must be looking for you too, then."

"Yes, he probably is."

Lloyd looked away with slight embarrassment. "If that's the case, then maybe you should, uh, forget about my dad for a little while. Just until we figure out what your situation is."

"Oh! Right."

The silence that followed was more awkward than the previous one, and so Lloyd stood up to return to bed. "I don't have work until tomorrow afternoon, so we can rest in the morning if you'd like. In the meantime, we should go back to sleep."

"That sounds nice." Ida curled up in the blankets, making herself comfortable in the chair once again. "Than- er, I mean, good night, Lloyd."

Lloyd smiled. "Good night, Ida."


	5. Chapter 5

As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 34:**  
 _An rud is fhiach a ghabhail,_ _'s fhaich e iarraidh._  
What is gotten by guile will disappear with the wind.

 **5-**

" _Enrico Caruso?_ "

Colette wasn't used to traveling by carriage, and she had spent most of the time with her face continually pressed against the window, admiring the scenery. She looked so adorably enthusiastic, Zelos hadn't wanted to interrupt her, but as they got closer to Flanoir, he had to discuss some further specifics of their plans.

"Yes, that's right. It was the name of a famous opera star some time ago, but I'm going to pose as a concert pianist on a sabbatical to recover and regroup from a wrist injury." Zelos nodded as he fished a glasses case out of his bag. He removed the glasses and began cleaning them with a cloth as he continued speaking. "You're welcome to make up your own name and backstory as you wish, but I have ideas for you if you'd rather have some help. I was thinking a name like… _Marie Antoinette._ What do you think?"

Colette thought it over. "That's a nice name. But wouldn't it make more sense for me to be Marie _Caruso_?"

Zelos almost dropped the glasses. "Wh-what? You mean-"

"After all, if we're traveling together, it would make more sense for me to be your sister. Right?"

Zelos was silent for a moment.

"…ah. My _sister_. I guess that doesmake the most sense." Zelos blew his hair out of his face and slipped the glasses onto his face. "Well? What do you think, _little sister_?"

"What do I think of what?"

"My disguise."

"It's just you wearing glasses."

"Exactly." Zelos smirked. "Everyone knows that simple glasses are the best possible disguise. Just enough to hide your identity while not being so conspicuous as to make people suspicious. Plus, they give one an air of intelligence. A lot of girls have a thing for guys with glasses, you know."

"I didn't know that." Colette giggled. "But you do look really cool!"

"Don't I, though?" Zelos beamed, tossing her a thumbs-up. "You're right, though, that this disguise would never fly in Meltokio. But I've been to Flanoir maybe… three times in my life? I don't go that often. The people here hopefully won't know me if I'm using an assumed name."

"That makes sense. And I'll be Marie Caruso, your little sister, who's studying to become a singer!" Colette clapped her hands. "What do you think of that?"

"You sing?"

"Just for fun sometimes. But yes."

"Lovely. This ought to be an interesting trip." Zelos smiled briefly, but then turned to look out the window with a small frown as though he were thinking things over. "We just have to remember not to let our cover stories become more important than finding out what's going on."

Colette's smile disappeared.

"Oh. That's right. I almost forgot."

* * *

"Mister Caruso? You're a little, ah, earlier than expected. Check-in isn't normally until three-o'clock in the afternoon, so your suite isn't quite ready yet. We'll be happy to hold your luggage for you, though, if you'd like to spend some time around the lodge. There's going to be a yoga class in the fitness room in about an hour, and wine and cheese is available in the breakfast room at five o'clock. There's also the tram that runs up the mountain to the roundhouse museum- it departs approximately every ten minutes. You can find a listing of attractions and lodge amenities in the breakfast room, which has coffee and tea available all throughout the day…"

As the receptionist continued talking to Zelos, Colette broke away and began exploring the lobby of the hotel. It was so grand; a fireplace bigger than she'd ever seen, and enormous staircases stretching up toward a gilded ceiling with a crystal chandelier. This kind of place made even the Wilder mansion back in Meltokio look small, and that was no simple feat! Feeling overwhelmed by the size of everything, Colette ran to the large window overlooking the lake, observing the view from the mountainside. Everything was frozen, covered in a blanket of ice and snow. There were several fishermen out on the ice, and in the distance a team of dogs pulling a sled moved over a marked trail.

" _Zelos! Ze-_ " Colette ran to his side, grabbing hold of his sleeve. She stopped abruptly, remembering their ruse. "I mean, uh, _Enrico,_ look! There's dogs! Dogs are pulling a sled! I want to go see the dogs!"

"Oh, that's one of our dogsled tours," the receptionist offered. "They run every weekday at eleven o'clock, and on weekends at eleven and one. Would you like to sign up for one?"

"Yes! Oh yes, I want to-"

"H-hold on, now. Let's talk about this first." Zelos grabbed Colette's hand and pulled her back. "We haven't totally decided on what our plans will be for the next few days, so-."

"But if we don't sign up now, is it going to fill up?"

"You should be fine," the receptionist chimed in. "Our eleven o'clock for tomorrow is full, but only one person has signed up for the one o'clock. I can put your names in tentatively if you'd like a few minutes to talk. As long as we know twelve hours in advance-"

"Put us down for the one o'clock tour tomorrow." Zelos sighed, stepping back toward the counter.

"Two adults under the name Caruso. Got it."

Colette jumped up and down. "Oh, I can't wait! I can't wait to see the dogs! Enrico, have you ever seen dogs pulling a sled like that? I've never seen it-"

Zelos wasn't paying attention to Colette's questions at the moment, however. "Is there a piano somewhere around here? Near the breakfast room, perhaps?"

"There's one in the adjacent ballroom, yes, but we don't typically allow guests to play it-"

Zelos cut her off. "Would you allow a concert pianist guest to quietly play it while he waits for his suite to be prepared?"

"I suppose, if the ballroom isn't in use, you should be fine. Just be sure not to disturb other guests."

"Of course." He stepped away from the counter with a satisfied smile on his face. "Well then, Marie? Shall we head up to the ballroom?"

"Oh, okay! Right!" It took Colette a moment to realize that he was talking to her. She wasn't used to answering to 'Marie,' and it felt odd to her. It was vaguely like the time she'd played a lead in the school play back in Iselia, and for two months everyone referred to her by her character's name during practices. The ease with which she started answering to _Beth_ surprised her, so perhaps she'd get used to _Marie_ in time. Zelos had already begun walking toward the staircase, and so she had to run to keep up with him. He seemed so comfortable in a place like this, despite its intimidating size. Was this what his life had always been like?

"Are you going to play the piano? I thought that your wrist was hurt," she commented as they reached the top of the steps.

"It's recovering," Zelos replied with a wink. "I need to work it at least a little bit to help it recover and to prevent my skills from becoming rusty, right? And if we can put on a show for some people, all the better."

"…a show?"

She wasn't sure what he was talking about, but it seemed that she'd find out if she waited, so she simply followed along after him. Toward the end of a long hallway, there was a pair of double doors on either side. The sign had said that the ballroom was on the right, but Zelos peeked his head into the room on the left first.

"Is this the ballroom?"

There were several groups of people in the breakfast room, some gathered on the couches by the window reading, and others sitting at the tables drinking tea. Everyone looked up when Zelos spoke, but there was a pause before anyone said anything.

"…you mean the ballroom across the hall?" a young man finally spoke up. He'd been sitting by himself in a corner with a thick book, and the others in the room seemed surprised that he'd pay attention to something besides his reading material.

"Oh, is that where it is? Thank you!" Zelos waved and turned around, heading across the hall into the ballroom. It was grand and spacious, with chandeliers hanging at various heights and the exterior wall full of windows giving a flawless view of the wintry landscape around them. Zelos walked into the center of the space and made a loud clicking noise with his tongue, analyzing how the sound bounced off the walls and floor. He then snapped his fingers a couple of times and then nodded to himself.

"Good acoustics. Sometimes huge spaces like this can swallow sound, but the wood floor in here works well. Can you help me move the piano? The tail of a Grand shouldn't be in the corner like that."

Colette wasn't totally familiar with everything he was saying, but she was happy to help. He'd said _help_ move the piano, but she got to it first and could move it with ease by herself, so she did the moving while Zelos instructed her. When he was satisfied with the placement, he sat down at the bench, adjusting the seat, and began to play a few scales to test the sound. The scales slowly transitioned into a melody, and before Colette knew what was happening, she was swaying back and forth to the beat of the music. It was a fluid but lively tune, with an upbeat tempo that just begged a listener to move with it.

Within a few moments, Colette noticed that she wasn't the only one in the room. A few others who had been drinking tea in the breakfast room had walked across the hall to see what was going on. One of the women was singing along quietly, but Colette didn't know the song and couldn't quite make out the words, so she kept quiet and simply listened. The song came to a close, and Zelos sat perfectly still to let the sound trail off before moving.

"…any requests?"

"Um, do you know _Fount of Blessings_?" A timid voice asked.

"I have just the arrangement! A beautiful song for a beautiful lady." Zelos wasted no time in playing the girl's request. It was even more impressive-sounding than the first, the swinging melody covering the entire room in sound. By the time he finished, requests for songs were being thrown at him so quickly, it was difficult to hear. He called out through the crowd, trying to calm everyone.

"Take it easy! Give me a moment to introduce myself, why don't you? A good musician always introduces himself after the first song."

"Don't I know you from somewhere?" one girl spoke up. "You're from Meltokio, aren't you?"

"I was born there, yes, but I've lived most of my life at my grandfather's estate, not far from Altamira. You have a good ear for the Meltokio dialect- not everyone can recognize it in my voice after being gone from there for so long." Zelos reached out his hand to shake. "Enrico Caruso, concert pianist. I'm on a sabbatical, so I'm not doing concerts right now, but it's fun just to play in little places like this."

"Oh, I see. You're not who I thought you were."

"Who'd you think I was?"

"Well, you reminded me of… the Chosen of Mana- Zelos Wilder. Has anyone told you that you look like him?"

"Funnily enough, they have. You're not the first person to say that." Zelos laughed. "I met the guy only once, about five years ago when I played for the wedding of some noblewoman in Meltokio. In my opinion he seemed like a selfish prick back then, but I'd never say so in front of all his fans. I assume there's a reason he's so well-liked, so I shouldn't judge, right?"

"Zelos is a good person! He's the _Chosen!_ " one girl toward the back exclaimed, and there was a murmur of agreement through the group. Zelos waved his hands with a smile, trying to calm them down.

"Hey, now. I'm not here to argue. Like I said, I'm sure he's a good guy. He's gotta be if he resembles me, right?" He set one elbow on the edge of the keyboard and rested his head in one hand. "First impressions are a tough thing. My sister knows that- she's working on her debut as a singer, but it's a tough business to get into. First impressions are everything. Right, Marie?"

Colette stiffened as all the eyes in the group turned to her. "O-oh, yes! It's true. It doesn't matter how good your voice or technique is, if you make a bad impression on a director, they won't hire you… I found that out when I was very young…" Her voice trailed off as she remembered a few school plays under the direction of Professor Sage's ill-tempered predecessor. Zelos noticed the drop in her voice, and quickly changed the subject.

"Hey, what happened in the past doesn't matter now. Why don't you sing? Any song you want- I'll accompany you."

"Huh?"

She hadn't expected to be put on the spot so suddenly, but everyone was looking at her with smiles. (It seemed that the women's opinions of her had changed considerably once Zelos had claimed her as his sister.) She wracked her brain, trying to think of the last piece she'd done with the students in Iselia.

"Do you know the accompaniment for _Spirit of Love_?"

"Miller, right?" Zelos had already begun to play the introduction as he spoke, and Colette nodded in relief. This was one she'd done as a student, under Professor Sage's direction, with Lloyd and Genis at her side, and it reminded her of the fun times they'd spent together.

"… _You can't see it but it's there, just as precious as the air. There's a spirit of love in this place._ "

When she focused on the music, there was no sense of her current loneliness, and no memory of the bad times that might have faced in the past. The song was nothing but pure joy for her. Even as she moved onto the second verse, which was normally sung by the boys, there wasn't a sense of anything missing. She could hear her friends' voices in her mind, and with them accompanying her, she felt like she wasn't singing alone.

It was so real, she didn't even realize at first that another voice joined her as she reached the chorus.

Zelos had been surprised at first to hear her pick a choral piece, but it made sense with her singing background. When she reached the chorus, he sang a soft tenor to accompany her melody, not enough to overpower it, but just enough to add another dimension to the sound.

"… _there_ _'s a space for grace, there's a presence of peace, there's a spirit of love in this place."_

There was no accompaniment after the final note ended, so the room was left with an echo of the two voices that died slowly. Colette wanted to say something to Zelos to thank him for his contribution, but she couldn't make it over the rush of encouragement she received from the group.

"Your voice is so pretty!" "Oh, that made me want to cry." "I'm sure you'll be a great singer." "That was beautiful!"

The compliments might've kept coming if it hadn't been for Zelos speaking up with an enthusiastic " _does anyone else want to sing a duet with me?_ " The almost pure chaos that erupted from that was enough to take the attention off Colette for the moment. She was grateful for it, but… disappointed in a way.

A hand on her shoulder pulled her from her thoughts.

"You really love that song, don't you, Miss Caruso?"

"Hm?" Colette turned to look at the man next to her. "Y-yes. I used to sing it when I was young, with some very good friends of mine. I hardly ever see them anymore, so singing that song makes me happy because it makes me think of them."

"I see." The man nodded. He was the one who'd spoken up first when Zelos had inquired as to the whereabouts of the ballroom, and was still holding onto his thick book. "Your love for your friends comes through in that song. The way you sing it, you do so with your whole heart. It's a blessing to hear." He shifted his book into one arm. "I'm Brother Orrison. Just Orrison is fine. Can I call you Marie?"

"Yes, that's fine." Colette shook his hand. "It's nice to meet you, Orrison. Thanks for your directions earlier, by the way. My brother and I appreciate it."

Orrison smiled and sighed contentedly. "My goal in this world is to provide direction to the lost. As a priest, it's my job." He squeezed Colette's hand. "Don't worry about missing your friends. I know it's hard now, but there's hope on the horizon. You'll be reunited soon."

"…thank you." Colette smiled. "When you say it like that, it makes me feel like it might actually happen."

"Oh, I _know_ it will happen. When the world ends, we'll be reunited with our loved ones for all eternity. Won't it be wonderful?"

"…"

Colette felt like taking a step back, but his grip on her hand was so firm that she couldn't move much.

"Wh-what do you mean, _when the world ends_?"

* * *

Ida awoke at the time that Lloyd had normally woken her the past few days for the morning shift, but after a moment she realized that they didn't have to work that morning, and she could sleep further. She couldn't remember any dreams beyond the one she'd shared with Lloyd, and if she could get any more information about her family by sleeping more, she was eager to do so. However, as she tried to hunker down and go back to sleep, she was interrupted by a loud knock on the door.

"…hm?" It took a moment before she realized what the sound had been, and by that point, the knocking had continued. Not hearing Lloyd answering, she scrambled out of the chair and over to the door, opening it just a crack. "…hello?"

It was still early morning and the porch was dark. Through the crack in the door, Ida could make out the form of a young woman, but it wasn't someone she recognized.

"I'm sorry to wake you, but isn't this Lloyd Irving's house?"

"Oh! You're here to see Lloyd?" Ida sighed in relief. "Yes, he's here- I'm just a guest. Come in and I'll go get him."

Ida welcomed the girl inside, and she stepped in cautiously. "A guest? Who are you?"

"I'm Ida."

"…"

The answer didn't seem to satisfy the girl, but Ida assumed that Lloyd could explain better than she could, so she ran back to wake him up. He seemed completely out of it, and she had to shake him to get his attention.

"Lloyd, Lloyd! Someone's here to see you. I think she's a friend of yours."

"…hm? A friend…?" Lloyd sat up and rubbed his eyes until he realized what she was talking about. "Oh! A friend! It must be Colette! I'm so glad she decided to come after all- since my dad won't be here, we can spend all our time together! I'm sure you'll like her too, Ida." He scrambled out of bed and ran out of his bedroom with an excited smile. "Cole-"

"Lloyd. There you are."

Lloyd stopped. "…Sheena?" He realized with embarrassment that he'd nearly addressed her incorrectly. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize you'd be visiting. What are you doing here? I thought you had stuff happening in Mizuho-"

"I do." Sheena held up an envelope for Lloyd to see. "But something's come up. I need to talk to you."


	6. Chapter 6

As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 45:**  
 _Cha_ _'n eil móran lochd 's an crídh a bhios a gabhail óran._  
There is little guile in a heart that is singing.

 **6-**

"The... end of the world? What are you talking about?" Colette took a step back nervously. "I don't understand-"

"Oh, I'm sorry! I scared you, didn't I? I keep forgetting how frightening that can sound to people." Orrison waved his hands, trying to calm her. "It's not really the end of the world so much as it is a new beginning. That's why I'm here- to experience the End of Nights firsthand."

"...end of nights...?" Colette murmured. "...that sounds like..."

"Hey, Marie! Come over here and sing with us. You know _Wings_ , right?"

Before Colette could get an answer to her half-question, she found Zelos calling her name and a group pushing her toward the piano. By the time she made it, they were already in the middle of the song, a fun, syncopated tune that she'd never heard before. "- _we'll take a trip where the eagles dare_ -" People around her were clapping, and singing, and it was difficult to get a word in edgewise. "-' _cause I've got your promise, you'll carry me there_ -"

"B-brother, your wrist!"

Her exclamation interrupted the segue into the chorus, but Zelos stopped anyway, and within a few seconds, all the singing had died down. A few people drew closer in concern.

"Ah, she's right," Zelos murmured, pulling his hands away from the keys. "I think I've overdone it tonight. I'm supposed to be on sabbatical, nursing my sprained wrist… and yet I just can't keep my hands off of a piano. I guess that's how you know you're in the right business, huh?"

There was a barrage of questions and reassurance offered to Zelos as he closed up the piano and began walking back toward the breakfast room. He invited the group to keep chatting with him, and the crowd moved with him as if drawn to him in particular. Colette watched them, feeling a little left out again until she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Good for you, sticking up for your brother like that. No matter how much he loves to play, if his wrist in injured, he should let it heal." Orrison stood behind her, offering a smile. "How'd he sprain it, anyway?"

"I, uh… I mean, _playing_ , I guess." Colette shrugged. "I'm not sure, to tell the truth. All I know is that he needs to take better care of himself.

Orrison's smile softened. "You really are a kind person, Miss Marie. I'm sorry for scaring you earlier with that whole end-of-the-world stuff. What d'you say we forget that for now and just enjoy ourselves? Do you like animals?"

"Yes, I love animals!"

"A friend of mine is helping train the dogs that lead the sled tours each day. The dogs they use are in training for sled racing during the winter. Would you like to go by and see their training setup?"

" _Dogs!_ Oh, yes, I want to see the dogs! Let's go-" At the mention of dogs, Colette grabbed Orrison's hand and tugged him into the hallway. Before she could get very far, however, she stopped. "…but what about my brother…?"

"The more the merrier," Orrison answered. He leaned over in the direction of the breakfast room. "Mister Enrico! Miss Marie and I are going out to see the dog training facility. You should come with us!"

For a moment, Colette was afraid that Zelos wasn't going to agree to it. However, he was just taking a moment to detach himself from the crowd.

"If you'll excuse me, I came here to spend some quality time with my sister. We'll talk later, 'kay cuties?"

There was the sound of girls sighing dreamily as he winked at them and turned away, but he ignored it. He was too focused on the man standing opposite him.

"…Orrison, right? It's a pleasure to meet you."

* * *

" _This room is so big!_ There are whole houses back in Iselia that are smaller than this! Do we really have this whole place to ourselves?"

Zelos couldn't suppress his laughter as he watched Colette run around their suite, admiring the views from the windows. It was dark, and the lights on the mountains around them were reflected by the snow, decorating the landscape as though it were a starry sky. Even with the sky clouded over, one could stare out the window and find constellations on the mountainsides.

"You've never seen a suite like this? Poor thing. You've led such a sad life." Zelos shook his head, though the joking tone of his voice betrayed that his "pity" was only a facade. "Even the _chosen_ of Sylvarant never had access to even the most basic of luxuries."

Colette giggled at the forced oxymoron in his words. "Well, we have luxuries of a different kind in Iselia."

"I'm sure you do."

The room fell quiet as they went back to exploring. Zelos had claimed one of the beds and was unloading his belongings from his suitcase. He set aside a change of clothes for the next day, not bothering to put too much effort into the process as he knew the clothing would be covered up by his coat anyway. That was the trouble with being in a place like this. It was always too cold-

He froze- figuratively- as a chilling breeze blew past him, disheveling his hair. Zelos turned around to see Colette hanging halfway out of a window, staring up at the sky in awe. She looked so happy, he almost decided against scolding her for opening the window. Almost.

"Close the window, would you? It's too cold for that! Besides, knowing you, you might fall." He ran to grab the back of her coat and tug her back inside. Colette turned around with an apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry. It's just so beautiful outside. The air is so clear, and you can see so far away. Plus it's fun seeing snow covering everything."

"You'll see your fair share of snow tomorrow when we go on the sled tour, remember?"

"Oh, that's right! Mister Orrison promised that our guide would give us a special tour, since he'll be on it. He's so nice!"

There was a pause and Zelos sat down on his bed, thinking things over. "He was pretty nice, wasn't he? Polite, friendly, good with people _and_ dogs… it seems strange that everyone we met earlier kinda avoided him, doesn't it?"

"Avoided him?" Colette moved to sit down on the other bed, leaning against the impressive pile of pillows. "Now that you mention it, I suppose they did."

"He was talking to you while I was playing the piano. Someone was concerned, so that's why I called you over in the middle of the song. Did he say anything strange to you then?"

Colette looked away, staring at her feet instead. "Strange _how_?"

"Well, I was told that he's one of those doomsday priests. Y'know, the ones that predict the ending of the world and all?"

At that piece of information, Colette perked up and returned her attention to Zelos. "He told me something about an event he called the _end of nights_. He said that he was here for that reason, and that when it happened, this world would end and a new one would be created in which everyone would be reunited with their loved ones. I told him that I missed Lloyd and Genis, and so he tried to reassure me that I'd see them again soon, but that sounds… scary."

"Endings and new beginnings are always scary. But, then again, I don't believe at all in the idea of the world ending like that. I think there's something more to this. Orrison might know something- maybe something about the mana abnormality that we're trying to investigate."

"You don't think he could be plotting to destroy the world himself, do you? It didn't sound like-"

"No, I don't get the feeling he has ill intentions." Zelos shook his head. "Doomsday cults come and go, but the world is still here. I'm just afraid that he might have somehow caught wind of whatever terrorist plan is being staged here, if that's what's happening. He could be an accomplice, suckered into helping by people who appealed to his religious beliefs, or he could just be an innocent bystander who knows too much- and is therefore in danger too."

"I want to help him."

"I'm sure you do. My main concern is making sure that everyone is safe. Whether that entails helping Orrison or not depends on the details of the situation."

There was quiet again, and the two returned to their own devices, preparing for bed and settling in. After a while, once Colette had snuggled happily into her bed, she looked across the room to Zelos and spoke up again.

"…can I ask you a question?"

"Sure. What is it?"

"That song you were singing before… the one that mentions eagles…? I've never heard it before. What's it about?"

Zelos had been laying back on his own bed, staring at the ceiling, but he scrambled to a sitting position when he heard the question. "Y-you've never heard _Wings_? How could you- _oh._ That's right. You're not from Tethe'alla."

"Is it popular in Tethe'alla?"

"Yeah, among certain groups. It's a ballad about the first people to learn to fly using magitechnology, so it's a bit of a history lesson, even if it isn't particularly accurate."

"How does it go?"

"Let's see… _Just two brothers with visions of flight, they were certain to grace the heavens that awaited_ _…_ "

As Zelos sang, Colette closed her eyes and listened, imagining the story in her mind. He was right that it didn't give too many details, but the flowing poetry built a beautiful scene nonetheless.

" _Far beyond anyone_ _'s expectations, they lifted into the skies of blue. As they all watched in anticipation, the crowd must have longed for their own rendezvous…"_ Zelos sighed, his voice trailing off before he even finished the first line of the chorus. "And, well, everything after that is about the desire to fly, as a symbol of freedom and the passion to follow your dreams. It's sappy stuff, but I've always liked the syncopation of the rhythm, so I don't think too hard about the lyrics. Thing is…" He paused and closed his eyes, placing a hand on his cruxis crystal. "…the person who wrote it must have never actually _had_ wings. It's anything but liberating. In some ways, I think I envy that person who believed that, if they could fly, they could just run away from all their troubles. It doesn't work like that."

Colette thought it over, pensively running her fingers over the embroidery in the comforter. "..that's true. But I don't think it's a bad thing. When I first found out I was becoming an angel, I felt a lot of things. Scared and confused, yeah, but also excited. It made me happy."

"That's because you didn't know what it really meant."

"True, but do we ever really know how things are going to turn out? I mean, no one can predict the future. It's impossible to say what's going to happen tomorrow or next week or next year. That's why dreams like that are so important. We have to believe that there's going to be a bright future for us, even if we can't see it. Don't you think?"

Zelos thought it over for a moment, but he couldn't give a response right away. He never ceased to be amazed by Colette's perspective on things. Was it a result of growing up in the declining world, having nothing to rely on but hope in the first place? Or was there something special about _her_ …?

"To be perfectly honest, I don't really understand what you're saying. But… I'll try."

* * *

"Something's come up…?" Lloyd stared at Sheena uneasily, trying to read her expression. Usually it was easy to tell what she was thinking, but when she got like this, he couldn't read her at all. "What do you mean? Is everyone okay? Is there something I need to-"

He stopped short, remembering that he and Sheena weren't the only ones there. Ida was watching them with a worried expression, and Lloyd wasn't sure what to say to her. He gestured to Sheena to wait a moment, and then turned to Ida to give her some directions.

"Hey, uh, Ida? Can you go to the market and pick up some food for breakfast? I think we're out of eggs and I'd like to make omelets for everyone."

"But I thought we just bought eggs-"

"That doesn't matter. Go buy some. Here's money for a half-dozen."

"Will the market be open this early-?"

"They're always setting up early. You shouldn't have to wait long. Just go."

After Ida finally left, Lloyd moved into the kitchen and motioned for Sheena to sit down at the table beside him. She did so, but didn't make herself too comfortable.

"Should I ask about the girl?"

Lloyd shook his head. "Only if you want to hear all the details"

"I'll bite. What's the story with her?"

"Well…" Lloyd took a deep breath before answering with strained composure. "…it was that day you and Colette dropped by to visit me at lunch. After the two of you left, I went into the break room and… she was just _there_. No idea how she got there, who she was, or where she came from. I named her Ida, but I don't know what her real name is. I'm taking care of her for now, but we're trying to figure out who she is."

Sheena frowned. "Is everything okay? You look worried."

"Worried? _No_ , I'm not _worried!_ It's just that one night I find out that the amnesiac woman who I took in looks just like my dead mom, and then the next day my dad shows up and tells me that he wants me to _kill_ the amnesiac woman who looks like my dead mom, and to top it all off, despite having memories of a lover and a family somewhere in her past, the amnesiac woman who looks like my mom has a _crush_ on my dad, the man who wants me to _kill_ her. _Why would I be worried?!_ "

"Brace yourself," Sheena murmured. "Colette and Zelos are in danger."

"Oh, good. I'm glad at least _somebody_ is- wait, _what_?!" Lloyd nearly fell over in his chair. "In _danger_? The two of them? From _what_?!"

"We're not sure. I just received this letter from Seles last night. It explains everything."

Lloyd was a slow reader, so it took him a while to completely absorb the details in the letter. Once he finished it, he set it down on the table and sighed.

"This festival is supposed to be a fun time for everyone. Why does all of this stuff have to happen now?"

"I'm going to accompany Seles to Flanoir to make sure that she's safe- that way _she_ can make sure that Zelos doesn't do anything reckless." Sheena shook her head as she took back the letter and folded it again. "Honestly, I don't mind Zelos doing as he pleases so long as he doesn't hurt anyone else. But endangering Colette like this… he's gone too far this time."

"Didn't Colette go of her own free will?"

"…yeah, but-"

"She can take care of herself. I don't think we need to be worried about Colette any more than we are about Zelos, and certainly not more than we are about Seles. Didn't she just, like, recover from the flu or something?"

"Pneumonia."

"Same thing."

"…it's _not_ , really…" Sheena let her voice trail off, not wanting to get into a medical debate with Lloyd now of all times. There would be opportunities for it later. Right now he seemed to be panicking, gathering supplies from the kitchen. "I don't want you to feel pressured into going. I only came to tell you so that you'd be aware-"

"No way I'm leaving all this trouble to you guys! We're friends, aren't we? Dwarven Vow 28: _Is ann a tha 'n cairdeas mar a chumar e._ To have a friend, you have to _be_ a friend. And being a friend means never abandoning your friends when they're in trouble."

"What about your friend… Ida?"

"…" Lloyd paused only a moment to think. "…she'll come with us. She can stay with Seles if things get tough. Maybe getting out of Luin is what she needs to help her remember her identity- after all, this can't possibly be the only place she's ever been, right?"

"And the cafe you're working for? Will your boss understand?"

Lloyd froze.

"…"

"Lloyd?"

"… _Miss Lucia_."

Sheena stared. "Who?"

Lloyd wasted no time in running to tug his boots on and tie up the laces haphazardly. "Miss Lucia needs to know that I won't be here for the festival! Oh, she'll be so angry… she'll fire me for sure, taking off an unknown amount of time with no prior notice. But I just… I can't…"

Sheena approached him and placed a hand on his shoulder to keep him still long enough to talk things through. "Lloyd, you don't have to give up your job for our sake. We'll be fine-"

"The reason I took this job in the first place was for our sake! I'm saving up for our journey, remember?" He shook her hand off of his shoulder, and she was upset momentarily until she felt his hands grabbing hold of hers. "Someday I'm going to build that boat so you and Colette and Genis and… whoever else wants to come can go with me to find all the exspheres! That's the reason I work, and if anything were to happen to you guys, the job wouldn't have any meaning anymore."

"That's a lie."

"It's not a lie!"

Sheena tugged his hands closer to her. "The part about why you took the job in the first place isn't a lie. But Lloyd, every time I come into the cafe, you're always smiling. You're on a first-name basis with all the regular customers and you know all their drink orders by heart- even if you can't get the temperature right. You _love_ the Lake Sinoa cafe, Lloyd. You can't quit."

"I'm not quitting." Lloyd looked away. "If Miss Lucia fires me, that will be her decision. Right now my friends need me, and I love them way more than I could ever love some… _dinky little cafe_."

The last three words sounded pained, almost forced. Sheena closed her eyes and sighed.

"Thank you, Lloyd. For helping us."

As Ida returned from the market, she passed Lloyd on his way out of the house. He didn't even stop to tell her where he was going, he was in such a rush. She called out to him, but he just waved and yelled back " _I won_ _'t be long, I promise!_ "


	7. Chapter 7

As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 21:**  
 _Is fhe_ _árr teine beag a gharas na teine mór a loisgeas._  
A small fire that warms is better than a large fire that consumes.

 **7-**

"I see. So your friends are in danger, investigating a potential magitechnology weapon posing a threat to the Flanoir area. I have to admit, it's certainly the most _dramatic_ excuse I've ever gotten for an employee to miss work."

Miss Lucia sat across from Lloyd in the break room, listening to his story as he explained it. She was always in the cafe early, making sure that everything was setup properly, so Lloyd knew that he would find her there when he arrived. She agreed to speak to him, seeing his desperation, and the two retreated to the break room where they could speak privately.

"I'm sorry, Miss Lucia. I know that this is sudden, and with the festival coming up, you'll be short on help, but… I just can't leave my friends."

"It can't be helped."

Lloyd sat up a little straighter. "S-so you understand?"

"Of course," Lucia answered, closing her eyes. "You have to decide what's the most important in your life, and you've chosen your friends over the cafe."

"…th-that's… I mean…" Lloyd shrank back a little. "I-it's not like the cafe is in danger by my leaving for a short time, is it?"

"Is it?"

"I… I don't think so…"

"And what makes you say that?"

"W-well, because… I mean… the cafe has you and everybody else looking after it. Nobody can work the espresso machine like Phil can, and Eliza makes the _best_ pastries I've ever tasted. Miranda and Jamie bring in flowers all the time to brighten up the place, and Jake has all the regular customers' names memorized by heart." Lloyd stood up as he continued, his voice growing in volume. "I wouldn't leave this place if I didn't think it was in good hands! This cafe… the customers… and everyone who works here… they're all precious to me! But right now, there are people I love who need me more than the cafe does. So that's the way it has to be."

Lucia said nothing. She silently nodded her head. Lloyd glanced away and cleared his throat.

"…I understand if you want to fire me for leaving you so suddenly. I wish it didn't have to come to that. But it won't change my mind about going."

"Do you _want_ me to fire you?"

"I've prepared myself for that possibility."

"But do you _want_ me to fire you?"

Miss Lucia's expression was utterly unreadable to Lloyd, so he couldn't quite figure out what answer she wanted to hear from him. It didn't matter so much- he couldn't lie to her- but he at least wanted to know what kind of response to expect.

"No, I don't. I already told you, I love this cafe. I'd work here forever if I could. But there are things that are even more precious to me that I don't want to lose. So whether or not you fire me is your choice."

There was another period of silence. Lucia tapped her fingers against her knee, completely ignoring Lloyd as though she were waiting for him to speak again. He wasn't going to, however, and so she finally sighed and started talking instead.

"When you first started working here, I got the feeling that you'd be another one of those transient employees, here one day and gone the next. The barista who trained you- I can't even remember his name now- told me that you spent all your training sessions talking incessantly about some journey you were saving for. He said that someday you were going to build a boat and sail around the world with your friends to find all the exspheres. Is this true?"

"Yes, it is," Lloyd answered. "But this isn't that journey. This is just a trip to help my friends. I'll be back in two weeks- three, tops."

"I understand that. But do you expect me to hold a position for someone who might one day take off again and leave it all behind?"

Lloyd didn't answer.

"Besides that, you have little to no skill as a barista. You make drinks well enough, but there always seems to be at least one or two times a week- if not every day- that you give someone an iced drink when they asked for it hot or vice versa. I don't think I'd be unreasonable to say that this seems like a good time to put someone more capable behind the counter."

"So you're saying that…?"

"There will not be a barista position for you when you return, Lloyd."

He cringed. Why had she been winding him up if that was the answer he was going to get in the end?

"I understand, Miss Lucia. Thank you. I'm sorry for… for everything." Lloyd pulled himself to his feet unsteadily, but Miss Lucia reached out to him before he could go anywhere.

"That's not to say I might not have other positions open."

"Huh?" Lloyd stopped and looked down at her. "Other positions…? So you'd still let me work? I'll do anything- you can hire me as a busboy! I'll wash dishes if that's what you want. And I promise, I won't wear my exsphere and I'll be super careful with everything-"

"I'm not asking for a commitment right now." Lucia took her hand off his shoulder and turned around so that her back was to him as she continued. "But the fact is, many of the people who come here, employees and customers alike, have come to rely on you. You've changed the personality of this cafe just by being here, and you're an important contributor to the morale. You understand the importance of a community-like function for a successful business, and you use that understanding in all of your daily interactions. That's precisely the kind of technique I would want someone in a managerial position to employ. You realize I still haven't hired anyone after Kris moved last month, correct? Good managers are difficult to find, so it would only be offered to someone willing to make the commitment to the cafe. Someone I trust won't run off on some magical journey with little to no notice. A few weeks in an emergency is fine. Life throws these things at us and we can't do anything to control them. But there are times when we have to sit down and decide what is truly important to us and our futures."

"…" Lloyd was having a hard time processing what she was saying. "M-Miss Lucia, you're not saying that, after doing this to you now, you'd actually _promote_ me? But my journey… I can't just… I mean…"

She turned around to face him again, and this time she had a smile on her face. "I said I didn't need an answer right away. Everyone has priorities, Lloyd. It's healthy to place the importance of people you love over physical objects or places. I have someone I'd sacrifice the cafe for in a heartbeat if it ever came down to it. Just the fact that you thought so hard about this situation means that you care a great deal for the cafe. I want someone like you managing this place, but I'm not going to force you to give up the journey you've been looking forward to. Think about it while you're helping your friends, if you can, and get back to me. We can talk once you're safely back in Luin."

"…Miss Lucia-"

"Get going, now. Don't you have friends who need you?"

* * *

Mornings were Zelos' least favorite part of the day.

Generally he woke up groggy, with a bad case of bed-hair, and unsure of his surroundings until he fully woke up. It was for that reason that he generally didn't stay overnight with others. No matter how charming a girl might have found him the night before, gods forbid she wake up to see him looking less than fabulous and completely disoriented. Leaving in the middle of the night was kind of a jerk move, but allowing someone to wake up to a romantic note was far kinder in his mind than exposing her to the disaster that was him at dawn. So, besides the long-ago childhood nights that he spent in his sister's company, he'd never actually woken up with a woman in his bed. He found that it was oddly terrifying.

It probably would've been less terrifying if he hadn't known her.

"Co-" His voice cut off as he sat up, moving over a little as he noticed that she was practically clinging to the side of the bed. "…what are you…? Did we…?"

The first thought that ran through his mind as he processed the situation was that he was a _dead man._ If Sheena and Lloyd and Genis and Professor Sage ever found out… they would kill him for sure. Probably literally. It was doubtful that even Seles would have mercy on him, given her relationship with Colette. That was _not_ how he wanted to die. He was too beautiful for it to end like that.

But with the cold air against his face, he easily became reoriented to what was going on. Zelos remembered the conversation from the night before, about identity and hope. He remembered being floored by Colette's way of looking at the world. And he remembered falling asleep, watching her do the same from across the room, a smile on his face the whole time.

"Why is it so cold in here?" Despite the warmth and comfort of the bed, something about the air in the suite wasn't right and Zelos got out to investigate. It was so cold, they might as well be outside. The sensation of his bare feet against the carpet was almost unbearable, but he spotted the reason for the cold right away, and went to fix it first.

"…Zelos?" Colette had woken up at the sound of activity in the room and was sitting up, though she had the blankets pulled tightly around her. "Is everything okay?"

Zelos heard her, but it took him a moment to respond, as he was preoccupied with shoving the window closed. It latched with a click and he sighed. "Colette, did you close the window last night?"

"The window…?" Colette paused and one had flew to her mouth. "Oh no! Is that why it was so cold? I really thought I'd closed it!"

"The windows here are kind of tricky. You have to close them the right way or they'll pop open again. I guess I should've told you that, but… the way you moved the piano last night, I didn't think I needed to. My bad." He scratched the back of his head as he apologized, heading back over to sit on the side of the bed. "I guess that's why you decided to bunk with me last night?"

"Y-yes. I'm sorry about that. I woke up and was so cold that I couldn't get back to sleep. I would've asked you, but I didn't want to wake you up."

"Don't apologize. It's cool. Literally." Zelos laughed and waved one hand dismissively. "You stay there under the blankets, and I'll see if I can get the radiator working. It should help to warm the place up."

Colette didn't respond at first, watching him as he worked with the machine in the corner. "…thank you very much for letting me sleep with you, Zelos. I appreciate it."

She couldn't see what happened, but he yelped as though he'd pinched his hand on something.

"I-I told you, it's cool. Don't mention it. And by that, I mean seriously don't mention it. To anyone."

"Huh?" Colette blinked a few times, but finally nodded her head. "…okay, then. Whatever you say."

* * *

When Ida returned to the house, she questioned Lloyd's absence, but Sheena assured her that he was going to take care of some things and would be back shortly. She didn't know how much he'd want her to tell Ida, so she decided to wait until he returned to talk to Ida about the trip. Instead, she decided to work on breakfast while they waited.

Ida watched Sheena busy herself in the kitchen and wasn't sure what to do, so she retreated back to the chair and pulled out one of Lloyd's books that she'd been looking through. Most of the books he owned were picture books of some kind; illustrated encyclopedias and whatnot, so it was fun to browse through them and examine the pictures in detail. Some time passed and Ida finished looking through the book she had set aside the night before, so she went to retrieve another from the bookshelf.

"…you're Ida, right?"

Sheena's voice interrupted her as she reached the bookshelf. She stood up a little straighter. "Y-yeah! Sorry, I didn't want to bother you."

"You're not a bother. I just finished up with some rice balls and the omelets. Let's eat while they're still hot, okay? We'll set Lloyd's in the oven so that it'll be warm when he gets back."

Ida smiled. "Okay! Thank you!"

With Sheena's hospitality, Ida felt more at ease, and began chatting as they ate. "So you're Sheena, right? Lloyd talks a lot about you. You're so cool! Is it true that you've made pacts with summon spirits from all over Sylvarant and Tethe'alla? And you're from the legendary village of Mizuho, right? Lloyd said that their location is super secret, and that outsiders generally aren't allowed."

"Lloyd has probably exaggerated some of the stories about me, but… yeah, what you said is true." Sheena chuckled sheepishly, wiping a few grains of rice away from her mouth. "I-I mean, all except for the cool part. I'm really not that cool."

"Don't say that! You came all this way in the dark to talk to Lloyd about something important. That's pretty cool, isn't it?"

Sheena glanced away. "It's true that I don't like riding Rheiards in the dark, but…" She shook her head and moved onto another subject. "You're Ida, right? At least, that's what Lloyd said he named you. Was that something he came up with, or…?"

"Yes! Ida is a name that Lloyd chose. It means _hope_." Ida beamed as she spoke.

" _Hope_? In what language? Dwarven?"

"N-no, it's… well, I'm not sure, actually, but I remember him saying something about the name Ida, and how it means hope for a bright future and all that." She shrugged. "But the name Sheena is Dwarven, right?"

"That's right. Sìna- it's the Dwarven form of Jeanne- y'know, like Jeanne d'Arc?"

Ida gasped. "With a name like that, you _must_ be cool!"

Sheena scratched her cheek, a little overwhelmed by the praise. "Well, Sheena isn't exactly my real name. Names are a powerful thing, so in Mizuho, only your family members can know your true name, and everyone else uses pseudonyms. Still, I've been traveling with friends so much, I don't know if I'd answer to my real name as easily as I do _Sheena_ …"

"I get it. So it's a little like _Ida_. Not your real name, but since people don't know your real name, it's something for them to call you. And since your friends use it, it's precious to you anyway."

"Yeah."

Ida rested her head in her hands, sighing happily. "I know that, once I find out who I am, I should switch back to my real name, but… the name Ida makes me really happy. For some reason I can't quite remember what Lloyd said about it, but he put so much time and thought into the name, I can't help but love it."

"Time and thought, huh?" _Are we talking about the same person?_ "You really seem to look up to Lloyd."

"I do! He's helped me a lot, even though I can't do anything for him right now. He's a truly kind person. I feel like, even though he's only known me for a few days, he truly cares about me. For someone with no memory of their own family and friends, to have someone care about you is…"

"I understand. There's no better feeling than when someone makes you feel like you belong." A soft smile spread across Sheena's face. "I know the feeling myself. Lloyd is good at making you feel that way, isn't he? That's one of the things that makes him special."

"Does he make you feel that way?"

Sheena didn't even have to stop and think about her answer. "Yes, he does."

* * *

"Let's stop here and stretch our legs a little. The dogs need to rest too."

Orrison called out for the dogs to stop, and they slowed obediently. Once the sled came to a full stop, many of the dogs fell to the ground and began rolling about playfully. Colette giggled as she watched them.

"They're having fun in the snow, aren't they?"

"Well, yes, but they're also doing it to cool down. Even in the snow, the dogs can easily overheat from running too much." Orrison spoke as he secured the sled. "We can walk around the area a little if you like, but it's probably not a good idea to stray far. There's a shallow lake nearby that's covered in a thin layer of ice and snow, so it's hard to tell where the ground ends and the lake begins."

When Colette and Zelos had reported to the dogs' training area that afternoon for their tour, they'd found that their guide had sprained her ankle on the morning trip, and was currently resting. Disappointed, Colette had said that she'd be content postponing their tour, but Orrison assured her that he knew how to work with the dogs and would be happy to take them on a tour instead. Zelos was the first one to agree, surprising Colette a little, but she had no objections, and soon was enjoying the feeling of the brisk air against her face. Orrison had allowed her to bring along a puppy that she was enamored with, and she held the little creature close to her, under her jacket to keep it warm.

"Thanks for the tip," Zelos nodded in response. "I probably won't go too far, but Marie, you can explore if you want. Go look for some of those snow bunnies you like so much!"

"Okay!" She giggled and waved, setting the excited puppy on the ground and watching it hop about in the snow. It felt a little odd, knowing that Zelos was going to be interrogating Orrison after the guy had been so nice to them, but Zelos had promised to do so nicely. After all, they still weren't sure how involved he was in the situation and whether or not he was a victim.

The puppy preoccupied itself with a stick that it found, picking it up and dragging it around the area, making trails in the snow. Colette bounded after it, trying to grab the stick, but purposefully not succeeding in an attempt to excite the puppy more. It worked, and the tiny creature was practically racing through the snow. If dogs could smile- and Colette knew they did in their own way- that puppy would've been grinning from ear to ear.

Meanwhile, Zelos had other concerns on his mind, and he needed to voice them.

"Hey, Orrison, can I ask you a few questions?" Zelos, meanwhile, drew closer to where Orrison was checking on all the dogs, making sure that they all could drink their fill of water. He paused and looked up.

"Sure thing, Enrico! As me whatever you like."

"Uh, well, I just…" Zelos glanced over to where Colette was still interacting with the puppy. "…I wanted to ask about a couple of things I heard from some of the others last night."

"Oh? Like what?"

"There's this rumor going around that you're part of some doomsday cult. I don't believe it, of course, but rumors tend to come from somewhere. I figured the right thing to do would be to ask you directly." Zelos scratched the back of his head. "I'm sorry if that sounded a little insensitive, but-"

"No, it's fine." Orrison waved his hand and motioned for the two of them to sit down on the sled. "It's natural for people to talk. The truth is, I _am_ here for religious purposes. It's not a doomsday event so much as it is a renewal of the world."

"Renewal? You mean like how the journey of the Chosen was supposed to 'regenerate' the world?" Zelos knew he had to tread carefully with a question like that, but Orrison's accent and mannerisms suggested that he was originally from Sylvarant, so the issue of his identity was unlikely to be a problem.

"Yes! Well, not quite." Orrison shook his head. "This is not some petty fight over mana. I am the Chosen of a god who is called the Great Divine- it is the Great Divine who will bring an end to this world of suffering. That's what I believe and why I'm here."

Zelos repeated the words in confusion. "…Chosen? Great Divine? World of suffering? I don't quite understand-"

"The world we live in is a world of separation. No matter what anyone does, there will always be separation from the people they love. Separation is suffering. When the world is ended- during the End of Nights- every being who is alive and who has ever lived will be reunited. There will be no more separation, no more suffering, no more farewells. At least…" Orrison turned his head away, his pale cheeks reddening some in embarrassment. "…that's what I believe, as it has been revealed to me. You're free to tell me that I'm crazy, but…"

"I wouldn't say that you're crazy." Zelos crossed his arms behind his head and leaned back "Everyone has their own beliefs and is entitled to follow whatever religion they're led to. I can't say whether or not you're really a Chosen like the Chosen of Mana were, but we all know that even they didn't have the power to save the world on their own. I guess what I'm curious to know is… why here? Why now? Why is it that your god chose this time and place for this, uh, _end of nights_?"

Orrison stood up, smiling and offering Zelos a hand to help him up as well. "It's because this is where all the pieces fit together."

"Huh? What does that mean?"

"I'm not completely sure myself." Orrison closed his eyes and sighed. "When I was chosen by the Great Divine, I heard its voice. But in the years since then, I have heard nothing. I've traveled around the world, trying to help people, working odd jobs where I can. I've heard many things from the people that I've worked with in shops, cafes, inns… and I've had to piece it all together on my own. _This_ time and place is where it's all led me."

"That's-"

The two were interrupted by a nearby shriek, and a cracking noise. Zelos stiffened and turned to see Colette a short distance away, and the puppy even further. A limb had fallen near where the puppy was playing, and revealed that it had started out over the ice of the nearby lake. Deep cracks had formed in the ice, and the puppy had huddled against the limb for safety.

"H-hold on! I'm coming to get you, don't worry!" Colette had figured out where the edge of the water was, but she was having a hard time working up the nerve to step out onto the ice. The pitiful whines of the puppy as the ice continued to crack around it were her motivation, however, and she stepped a hesitant foot out onto the lake's surface.

As she did so, there was a loud cracking sound, followed by someone yelling.

"DON'T, COLETTE!"

By the time Orrison's voice reached her, she had frozen in place, and it was only a few seconds later that she felt him grab her arm and pull her back onto solid ground.

"It's too dangerous," he murmured. "I don't want anything to happen to you. Wait here."

"B-but, Mister Orrison…"

She didn't have time to protest or ask questions as Orrison began to shuffle out onto the ice. It was cracking underneath his feet, but he seemed to be doing a good job of observing the cracking pattern and finding a solid enough place to put his foot. Finally, he made it a few meters to where the puppy was, and scooped it up in his arms before turning his attention to getting back to land. He'd have to come back a different way than he'd come, with the state of the ice the way it was. Gently, he began moving toward the next closest shore.

Colette ran over to where he was headed and Zelos followed behind her. A lot was going through his mind, but now wasn't the time to say anything. Had Orrison really said…? Or was he hearing things?

"It's okay, don't worry." Orrison was murmuring to the puppy in his arms. "We're almost there. You'll be alright. Just calm down and-"

It all happened so fast, Zelos blinked and nearly missed it. There was a crack, a yelp, and a splash, as the ice under Orrison's feet broke and gave way.

"ORRISON!"

* * *

((Thank you to everyone who's been following along so far. I can't believe it's already been this long, but next week's update is going to be my last for a while, as I'm taking a summer hiatus due to travel. Updates should pick up again in early July. I appreciate everyone's support, and hope you continue to enjoy the story!))


	8. Chapter 8

I'm so sorry for being late with this! Exams have been brutal this semester, but they're behind me now as well as my thesis, so I'm looking forward to a chance to get away from schoolwork for a while. Thanks for following along, and I hope you enjoy. As usual, I don't own anything, I'm just a fan writing some fiction.

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 26:**  
 _Cha sgeul-r_ _úin e 's fios aig triúir air._  
It's not a secret if three know it.

 **8-**

It all happened so fast, Zelos blinked and nearly missed it. There was a crack, a yelp, and a splash, as the ice under Orrison's feet broke and gave way.

Colette shrieked, watching as the young man was submerged-

"ORRISON!"

-right up to his knees.

There was a moment of awkward silence, and both Zelos and Colette could hear Orrison's pained breathing. Nevertheless, he held tighter to the puppy in his arms and turned his attention back up to his companions.

"I'm okay. It's not that deep. I'll be out in just a second."

Colette and Zelos ran to help him as he made his way slowly back up the bank of the lake. He transferred the frightened puppy into Colette's arms, and leaned against Zelos' shoulder for support as they returned to the sled. Orrison was trying really hard to stay calm, but both Colette and Zelos could tell that he was having a hard time walking properly.

"We've got to get him to somewhere warm as soon as possible," Zelos spoke, making sure that Orrison was situated comfortably on the sled. "I wish there was somewhere closer than the hotel-"

"There's a weather station just up this path about a kilometer," Orrison spoke up. "We can take shelter there for the time being."

Zelos didn't have to ask any more questions. Instead, he put his arm around Colette to make sure that she was okay and then called for the dogs to start up again. They had been in a frenzy, especially hearing the sound of the puppy's frantic squeals, so it took a moment for them to pick themselves up again. But once they did, the sled began to glide along the path and it wasn't long before they'd left the shore of the lake behind and followed the sight of the bright orange wind sock that was hanging over the weather station.

There would be time to question Orrison later.

* * *

The sun had risen by the time that the group arrived in Meltokio, but upon their arrival at the Wilder mansion, it was apparent that Seles was not yet awake. Tokunaga apologized to Lloyd and Sheena, explaining that, once Seles _was_ awake, she would have to undergo a short examination before eating breakfast and meeting with her guests. He assured them it was a routine vitals check- temperature, heart rate, and such- and wouldn't take long, but he couldn't say how much longer she would be asleep. Nothing specific was said about the reason, but his worried expression made it clear that he wanted Seles to get as much sleep as she could. No one had to ask why she hadn't been getting enough sleep the past few days.

Ida, overwhelmed by her new surroundings, asked to see the garden while they were waiting, so Tokunaga escorted her on a short tour. Lloyd and Sheena stayed in the breakfast room, waiting to hear when Seles would be joining them. There were some pastries that had been set out for the guests, but neither Sheena nor Lloyd had taken any yet.

"…hey, Lloyd, you've been awfully quiet all morning. That's not like you. Is everything okay?" Sheena had been awkwardly staring at the pattern in the tablecloth, trying to think of something to talk about, and finally just decided to dive right in. "Did your boss fire you?"

"No. Worse." Lloyd shook his head in response.

"Worse?"

"She offered me a promotion."

" _What_?"

Lloyd cleared his throat. " _There are times when we have to sit down and decide what is truly important to us and our futures_ ," he mimicked Lucia as he spoke, "is what she said to me. That she couldn't invest so much into an employee who might run off on some journey someday."

"I see. I figured she was probably familiar with your plans for an exsphere journey, since you talk about it incessantly, but-"

"I don't talk about it _incessantly_!" Lloyd crossed his arms and pouted. "Just 'cause I never stop talking about it doesn't make it _incessant_."

Sheena paused. "…you… you realize that's what the word means, right?"

"Huh?"

"Never mind." Sheena sighed and shook her head, resting her elbows on the table. "I wanted to ask you something- it's about Ida. What's the origin of her name? It means _hope_ , right?"

"Does it?" Lloyd stared back with a blank expression.

"You're the one who thought of it."

"I just gave it to her as a joke, and she ran with it."

"A joke?"

"Yeah. Knock, knock."

"Lloyd."

"You're supposed to say _who_ _'s there."_

"Lloyd, this is silly."

"Who's there? Ida. Ida, who? Ida know, ask somebody else!"

Lloyd gave an obnoxious laugh while Sheena stared at him. She was busy trying to process what he'd said.

"You mean to tell me… that you named this girl after a _knock-knock_ joke?"

Lloyd shrugged. "Why not? It's just a temporary name until she can remember her real one. If she likes it, what's the problem?"

"The problem is that she's a _person,_ Lloyd. Names are important. You can't just shove a name on a person without giving it proper thought and meaning. Sheena, my everyday name, is one that means _god is gracious._ My real name is one that means _happiness_ or _joy._ With these, the one who named me was placing into the name his hopes that I'd live to see great happiness and blessings. _That's_ what names are for."

"Th-that's a Mizuho thing! I wouldn't expect any less from people who take names so seriously that they've gotta keep them secret!" Lloyd wasn't paying attention to what he was saying, and he stopped abruptly. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to… uh… that didn't come out quite right… I didn't mean to offend-"

"To offend me and insult my culture?"

"I'm sorry, Sheena." Lloyd turned in his chair, bowing his head toward her. "I know names are important to you. If that's the case, maybe you're the one who can help Ida find out her real name. That way she won't have to use a joke name anymore, and she can go by something that has real meaning to her."

Sheena's expression softened and she turned toward Lloyd to give him a nudge against the shoulder. "You're alright. I know you didn't mean it, and as an outsider, my culture might seem strange to you. The thing about Ida is that she already sees meaning in her name. She believes that you gave it to her with a meaning of _hope_."

" _Hope?_ "

"Yes. Does that ring a bell? She said that you put a lot of care and thought into it."

"…I… can't say I know anything about that." Lloyd shook his head. "Why did she say it meant hope?"

"I don't know." Sheena shrugged and rested her head in one hand, staring back at the tablecloth. "She said that _you_ said it meant hope for a bright future. She seemed so convinced, I didn't want to say that the whole thinking-hard-about-names didn't seem like you."

Lloyd stood up, moving his chair back from the table. "Where would she get something like that, though?" He began to pace back and forth along the length of the table. "Do you think it might come from her memories? Maybe Ida was her real name or the name of someone close to her."

"Or her real name means _hope_. Perhaps if we were to look up some names with that meaning, we could figure out what her real name is."

Lloyd smiled and stopped in front of Sheena's chair, reaching out to slap her shoulder playfully. "You can be in charge of that, then! Find out what Ida really means, and then come up with some names that mean _hope_. I'm sure one of them will give us what we're looking for!"

Sheena laughed. "You have too much faith in me, Lloyd. Do we even have time for that? I'd have to spend a couple of hours in a library, looking through books, and-"

The door opened, interrupting their conversation. Lloyd expected to see Seles or Ida enter, but neither of them appeared. Instead it was Tokunaga, escorting a familiar young man.

" _Thank you for your patience, Mr. Sage. Miss Wilder is awake and will be arriving to speak with you all momentarily. For now, please wait here._ "

"It's not a problem. No rush."

By the time Sheena became aware of what was going on, Lloyd had already sprinted across the room and embraced the newcomer. " _Genis!_ I haven't seen you since this summer! It's been so long!" He stopped and held out Genis at arm's length again. "Tell me, do you know what the name _Ida_ means?"

Genis examined Lloyd briefly, raising one eyebrow in amusement. "Three months and that's the first question you have for me? What about- oh, Genis, what are you doing here? How've you been? What's been going on?- that sort of thing?"

"Well, I figure that you're here because Seles called you just like she called Sheena. It looks like you're pretty healthy- _and_ you've gotten taller!- so I know that you're alright. And if you're coming to Flanoir with us, then we'll have plenty of time to discuss recent events later. Right now there's one important question on my mind, and it's one that I'm sure you can answer! So how about it? Do you know the meaning of Ida?"

Genis closed his eyes and sighed. "Still don't waste any time, do you, Lloyd? Guess I shouldn't have expected any less."

"Sorry about him-" Sheena began, but Genis cut her off.

"Don't worry about it. As far as I can tell, it comes from an ancient root that means _hard work_ or _efficiency_." Genis took a seat across from Sheena and began filling the plate in front of him with some of the pastries that were set in the center of the table. "Either that, or it refers to a mythological mountain peak where a well-known god was raised. Does that answer your burning question?" He bit into one of the pastries, adding a quick "s'rry, I di'n't eat br'kfast."

"Don't worry about it. Thanks for answering our question." Sheena waved one hand. "That saved us a lot of time."

"Why'd you need t' know that?" Genis continued between bites of apple pastry.

"A friend of ours likes the name Ida," Lloyd answered, "and she told us that it means _hope,_ but neither of us could confirm it."

"Yeah, there 're a lot of names that mean hope," Genis brushed some crumbs away from his mouth. "Esperanza, Nadiya, Raja, Tikva-"

"Hold on a sec! Let me write these down!"

While Lloyd fished for a sheet of paper and a pencil, Sheena continued the conversation. "So, Genis, this is probably an obvious question, but… don't you have _school_ right now? I mean, you're studying in university, so-"

"Actually, I had already turned in my term papers for most of my classes when I got Seles' letter, so all I had to do was finish the last one and submit it."

"Doesn't the semester go for another two months?"

"Month and a half, and yes. But I've picked up a tutoring job on the side, and I wanted to have more time to dedicate to that." Genis shrugged his shoulders. "But what can you do? If Colette's doing something dangerous, I've gotta help her out. What kind of friend would I be if I didn't?"

"Lloyd and I both left jobs and responsibilities behind too. It's awful, but Colette is too important to us for us to leave her to deal with this on her own."

"That's right. If anything ever happened to her, I wouldn't know what to do."

"Me neither. She's-"

Lloyd finally finished writing and interrupted the conversation. "Hey, uh, isn't Zelos in danger too?"

Genis and Sheena both answered at once, staring at Lloyd as if he had said something stupid. "Yeah. And?"

" _He_ _'s our friend too, you guys!_ "

They both sighed and nodded- reluctantly, but nonetheless. Sheena rested her head in one hand and went back to their earlier conversation. "I'm sorry you had to leave your tutoring job, though. It sounds like you really love it, and I know that your students will really miss you."

Genis smiled and brushed the crumbs of his second pastry away from his mouth. "I don't know if I'd say that they'll miss me, but… well, I think what I was most upset about is that I won't get to see Bianca every week."

Lloyd perked up at the sound of the name. "Bianca?"

"Hm? Yeah. What's the matter?"

"That's a pretty name."

"It is."

"Does it belong to a pretty girl…?"

"She's adorable, but Lloyd, she's-"

Lloyd had already taken the information and run with it. "Oooh, Genis! I can't believe it! You charmer! Now I know why you wanted to dedicate so much of your time to your _job-_ "

Genis tossed a pastry at Lloyd to shut him up. "Lloyd, she's five."

"…huh?"

"I'm tutoring new readers. Bianca is five years old. I'm teaching her how to read. She's a really bright kid and she's progressing well. It makes me happy to see her improve so much between every session. That's why I'm sad to be away."

Lloyd stared for a moment before sitting back down in his seat. "…ah. Oops."

Sheena laughed. "Careful, Lloyd. _He who doesn_ _'t look forward will be looking back_."

Lloyd did a double take before spending a moment just staring at her. "Was that… Dwarven Vow number eight?"

"I… guess…? I know I heard it from you, so I'm sure it's one of the-"

"I think I'm in love with you."

Sheena tapped him in the forehead. "Lloyd! Be serious."

"Ow! I'm serious, I'm serious." He shook his head a few times. "So, Genis, I guess the whole Bianca thing was uncalled-for. I'm sorry about that. But does Bianca maybe have a pretty teenage sister?"

"LLOYD!"

Sheena grabbed hold of his hair and tugged hard, prompting a yelp from Lloyd. "AH! Sheena- She- Sheena! That hurts! Let go!"

"Enough of this garbage. Just because you have no love life doesn't mean you have to take it out on poor Genis. Can't you see you're making him uncomfortable?" She let go of Lloyd and turned back to Genis. "I'm so sorry about him. He's been spending too much time with Zelos lately. Uh, Genis? You okay?"

Genis snapped out of his daydream, turning pale at first and then red. "I wasn't thinking about Bianca's pretty teenage sister!" he belted out before he realized what he was saying.

"Oh." Lloyd smirked.

"…did I just say that out loud?"

"You did." Within a moment, Lloyd was next to Genis, shaking his shoulder back and forth. Genis argued with him, but it was no use, as Lloyd was too busy pestering him with teasing questions.

"I wanna hear all about her, okay? What's her name?" "H-hey! Let go! It's not like that-" "Is she smart? Funny? How'd you two meet?" "-we just know each other through tutoring and that's it-" "Have you kissed her yet? When are you planning the wedding?" "-you're getting way too ahead of yourself-"

Sheena was about to separate them, but she wasn't fast enough.

"ENOUGH OF THIS."

The room suddenly went silent. Seles' voice echoed against the windows even after she'd finished her sentence. Hazel stood beside her, eyes closed as though she were trying to be oblivious to the situation, but Ida was behind Seles, hiding timidly.

"This is no time to be playing. Our first priority has to be on my brother and Colette. Understand?"

Lloyd looked down at his feet. "Sorry, Seles. Sorry, Genis."

* * *

While Zelos heated a basin of water over the stove, Colette began helping Orrison remove his waterlogged boots.

"Miss Caruso, you really don't have to. I can take care of them myself. My feet are probably covered in mud anyway-"

"Don't worry, Orrison." Colette shook her head as she finished unlacing his right boot. "It's fine, I promise. Your feet could freeze if we leave them like this."

"Um, about that… if you're worried about my feet freezing, you should probably start with the other-"

He didn't get to finish before she pulled the boot off and found herself staring for a moment at the prosthesis. It was rudimentary, made only to attach to his ankle and fit inside a shoe, so Colette was taken aback at first. Orrison had never shown any difficulty walking or favor to that leg, so she hadn't expected anything like this. She couldn't tell how recently the injury had taken place. "Your foot… are you okay?"

"I'm fine. It's been years since that happened."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to stare. Are both of your…?"

"No. Just that one."

"Okay."

Zelos watched the scene out of the corner of one eye. Within a few minutes, Orrison's boots had been set aside by the stove to dry and Colette had gotten him a towel. She'd been silent the whole time since their conversation, and the atmosphere in the house was filled with only the sound of the dogs resting on their blanket in the next room. It was rare that the ever-enthusiastic Colette didn't have anything to say, and Zelos felt a little awkward. He dipped his finger in the water and, satisfied with the temperature, picked it up and carried it over.

"Here. It's warm, not hot. Soak your fee- _foot_ for a little while, okay?"

"Thank you so much, Enrico."

As Orrison soaked his legs in the water, he removed his coat and rolled his sleeves up to his elbows. Colette sat down by the furnace with the puppy, trying to warm up and calm down at the same time, but Zelos stayed focused on Orrison. Now that the guy was safe, he wanted to say something about his address of Colette earlier.

"Hey, uh, Orrison? Now that you're feeling a little better, I was wondering if I could ask you something." Zelos sat down next to him, speaking quietly to prevent Colette from overhearing.

"Is something wrong, Enrico?"

"Well, it's just…" Zelos glanced away. "…earlier, when my sister was going to walk onto the ice, you called her by an odd name. Something that started with a _C,_ I think?"

" _Colette?"_

"I think that was it."

Orrison shook his head. "I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. In the heat of the moment, I yelled out the name of somebody else I've met once before. That was rude of me- I promise, it won't happen again."

"…somebody that you've met?" Zelos ventured. "Does my sister remind you of her or something?"

"W-well, I suppose a little, but," Orrison waved one hand dismissively as he spoke, "it's not as if I can't tell them apart, and anyway-"

"Hold on a second. What's that on your wrist?"

The conversation stopped abruptly. Orrison froze briefly before offering his right hand to Zelos to examine.

"This was a gift."

"… _that_ _'s an exsphere!_ "

By this point, Colette had taken notice of the conversation and was drawing closer to see what was going on. She gasped at the sight of the pale green stone that adorned the back of Orrison's wrist. It was an exsphere, no doubt about that, but it was missing a very important component. Zelos was about to say something, but Colette jumped in before he could.

"Where's your key crest?"

Orrison looked down at his wrist first, then back up at Colette. "Key crest? What's that?"

"It's a specially processed piece of inhibitor ore that prevents the negative effects of an exsphere on a person," Zelos answered. "Without it, the wearer's life could be in danger."

"Th-this was given to me by my sister! She said it was a keepsake from our mother, and wearing it would help keep me safe. I've _always_ worn it since then. It wouldn't hurt me, would it…?"

Zelos and Colette glanced at one another hesitantly. Neither were sure how to respond.

"The intentions of the exsphere don't matter," Zelos finally answered. "Without a key crest, an exsphere poses a danger of causing its host's mana to deteriorate."

"Th-then I need to take it off right away-"

"NO, ORRISON!"

Colette slapped her hand over his as he held it to his wrist. He jumped and stared up at her with wide eyes. "…Marie?"

"Taking it off is what causes your mana to deteriorate. If you take it off, you'll turn into a monster."

She moved her hand away, and Orrison shakily removed his hand from his wrist as well. He said nothing, so Zelos stepped in.

"It's safest for now just to keep wearing it. We know a dwarf who can process the inhibitor ore to make a key crest for you, once the festival is over and we can return home. It's unlikely that you'll have any problems in the next two weeks, so long as you don't take the exsphere off."

Orrison sighed. "So long as I'll be okay until the end of the festival… that's all that matters."

* * *

(Thanks to everyone for sticking with the story for so long. I'll be back with new chapters sometime in July, so I hope you'll look forward to it. In the meantime, I'm going to be between trips for just long enough to attend Momocon later this month, so if you're there, keep an eye out for me as formal!Colette. Thanks again, and see you in July!)


	9. Chapter 9

Hello, everyone! I've returned from some really fantastic travels where I saw and learned a lot, but I'm happy once again to be home. As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 6:**  
 _Dà a ghiorrachadh an rathad._  
Companionship makes the road shorter.

 **9-**

"A mana abnormality? That's a strange way of phrasing it. That could mean anything."

Genis' brow furrowed as he read over the letter that Zelos had left for Seles. It was crumpled, but still legible as much as Zelos' fancy cursive would allow. Once he was satisfied that he'd read through it thoroughly, he passed it over to Sheena. She began reading it over and voiced some of her thoughts as she did so. "He says something about… a potential terrorist attack? What would cause him to think that?"

Seles opened her mouth, but was caught up in a cough before she could get a word out. Genis answered for her instead. "Zelos says later on that the strange mana signature they sensed is something that could be caused by a large piece of magitechnology."

"I'm frightened that someone could be setting a trap." Seles finally recovered from her coughing spell. "The fact that something so allegedly powerful is being stored in a public facility where it can easily be traced to its owner if discovered is just too obvious. Either this person is planning a suicide mission and doesn't care about the consequences of their actions, or they're _trying_ to get noticed. My brother seems to fear the former. I think it's much more likely the latter."

"But if so, what would that mean?" Lloyd asked. "Whose attention are they trying to get? It's not like Zelos runs the place."

"Yes, but the Wilder family has their hand in a lot of businesses around Tethe'alla, and ever since my brother was able to, he's been keeping an eye on everything that goes on. He's concerned about our public image, so he's very particular about things that could lead to potential trouble. Someone who knew that would understand that stirring up suspicions in one of these businesses would be a great way to get… the _Chosen_ _'s_ attention."

"Do you think Zelos is being targeted because he's the Chosen?" Sheena asked, handing the letter over to Lloyd.

"It wouldn't be the first time."

"But why? What would someone stand to gain from killing Zelos?" Genis asked. "It's not like they're the next in line to be Chosen or anything. That's _you_."

Seles closed her eyes and answered through clenched teeth. " _I know that all too well_." She paused to cough, and Hazel placed a hand on her back to steady her until she could speak again. "I don't think they're trying to kill him. Manipulation seems more likely."

Lloyd raised his hand. "There's one question I still have, though."

"Hm?"

"Let's say that you're right, and someone is trying to arouse Zelos' suspicions and manipulate him into a compromising situation, or worse. That still doesn't explain the origin of the mana abnormality. There's _something_ powerful in that storage facility, right? That can't possibly be the only way they could have gotten Zelos' attention, so why acquire or build something like that if it serves no other purpose than bait? Magitechnology isn't something that just anybody can get their hands on."

There was a pause. Everyone around the table thought over what Lloyd had said, unsure of what kind of response to give.

"It feels odd to say so, but…" Genis finally spoke up, "…Lloyd makes a really good point."

Seles sighed. "Yes, he does. But we won't know anything for sure until we go to Flanoir and see things for ourselves. If we leave now, we should be able to arrive early tomorrow morning. I need to know whether or not you're coming with me."

A conversation began between the group as they shared their desire to help and began making plans, but Lloyd noticed that Ida wasn't paying any attention. She'd been sitting beside him quietly the whole time, and he assumed that she'd been listening, but when he looked at her now, she was staring out the window.

"Ida?"

"Huh? What's going on?" She turned back to him with a smile. "Are we leaving now?"

"We are soon. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, it is." Ida nodded her head, and Lloyd couldn't sense any hesitance in her gestures or words. Still, he suspected that she wasn't saying everything.

"You have a lot on your mind right now, don't you?"

Ida nodded once again. "I don't know these people… Zelos and Colette… but you do, and it's clear that you care about them very much. If they somehow disappeared, you'd be running all over the world to find them again."

Lloyd was confused for a moment. "Disappeared? That hasn't happened. They're in Flanoir. Why would they-?" He stopped abruptly. Ida wasn't talking about Colette and Zelos- she was talking about herself. She wanted to know if there was anyone who cared enough about her to come looking for her, didn't she? He reached out to place his hand over hers and offer some words of comfort, but he didn't get that far.

Seles' coughing had become almost background noise for the group, but this time it wasn't just a short bout. Seles had been interrupted in her conversation by a coughing spell that had her doubled over and wheezing through a tight throat just to get air into her lungs. There was yelling, and Genis ran around to the other side of the table to help, knocking the chairs out of the way as he did so. The only one who didn't seem to be panicking was the nurse, who held onto Seles tightly to keep her from falling over. She grabbed Seles' necklace in her hand, the opalescent jewel seeming to respond to her voice as she chanted something under her breath. Almost immediately, Seles stopped coughing and fell unconscious in Hazel's arms. Lloyd was about to ask what had just happened, but he didn't get a word in before the nurse spoke up.

"One of you go inform Tokunaga about the mistress. The rest of you help me escort her to her room. _Now_."

No one questioned the orders.

* * *

Zelos woke up the next morning to find Colette staring excitedly out the window. He pulled himself to a sitting position, trying to figure out what was going on.

"Colette…?"

"Zelos, look! It snowed last night. Everything's covered again. It's so beautiful."

He rubbed his eyes and yawned. "…I realize the world can be a beautiful place, but does it have to be so beautiful so early in the morning? The sunlight hurts my eyes. Close the curtains, will you?"

In his newly-waken state, he was still groggy, so he didn't realize what was happening until Colette had gotten a firm grasp on his arm and pulled him nearly all the way out of bed.

"Don't say things like that! It's such a beautiful day. Don't you want to go enjoy it? There's all kinds of things we could do in the snow."

Zelos squirmed against her grip. "Like what? Be cold? No thanks! You saw what happened to Orrison yesterday. There's no way I'm going to risk something like that happening to me."

"But he's fine. We got back to the hotel safely, and by dinnertime he was good as new. You don't have to worry."

"That doesn't matter. I hate the snow anyway."

Colette dropped her grip on his arm and he fell back against the wall. It took him a moment to regain his balance, and by the time he did, she was already halfway across the room again. He'd never seen someone with so much energy, and yet somehow she seemed to have been subdued by just that simple sentence.

"I'm sorry, Zelos. I didn't realize."

"Aw man, don't get all sad on me. I didn't mean it like that." Zelos picked himself up and walked over toward her. "I just figured you should know how I feel. I wouldn't have come here if I hadn't wanted to investigate the mana abnormality. That should be our main concern." He stopped and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Let's have breakfast first, and then we can talk about our plans for the day. I don't think we'll get much more out of Orrison than we already have, no matter how concerned we are for his safety."

"R-right."

"I figure that our best bet to get more information is to actually go to the storage site ourselves. If we can get a good look around, we might be able to find something that would give us a motive to search. If we can secure a warrant, all our problems will be solved. The thing is, we can't arouse suspicion by simply walking into the facility unannounced. We have to figure out some kind of cover or sneak in unnoticed. The latter will be risky, but it's probably our best option if we can pull it off. We've had our share of experience sneaking around places, haven't we? Colette?"

Colette didn't respond right away.

"Do you… really hate the snow?"

"What? You're still on that? Lighten up, will you! I don't like it because it's cold and it gets in the way. You're acting like I've offended your ancestors or something. It's just snow."

There was a pause, and Colette responded with a soft laugh. "You're right. I'm being silly. Let's go to the storage site."

"So you're fine with sneaking in, then?" Zelos asked

"…sneaking in? Oh! Right! Sneaking in. Of course."

Zelos wanted to ask something else, but she didn't seem to be in the mood to answer. Maybe later.

* * *

The storage facility wasn't heavily guarded. Its position on the side of a mountain, surrounded by thick walls and well-locked gates was enough to deter most people from approaching from anywhere except the main entrance. Zelos and Colette climbed a short way up the mountain before descending into the portion of the facility reserved for personal storage rather than business. Zelos had memorized the area in which the signal had come from, but he wasn't able to say for sure which unit was the one. For all they knew, it could be multiple units together causing the abnormality.

"Zelos, even if we find a reason to have the facility searched, how will we get the warrant? We can't tell them we snuck in here, right?"

"There are ways of getting around that," Zelos replied as he led the way along the corridors. The sound of the snow crunching under his boots reminded him that they'd have to cover their tracks once they had found what they were looking for, so he was making sure to take note of every unit they'd passed. "Once we figure out what it is that we're looking for, we can make plans for how to present it."

Colette nodded, though she stopped following him as closely and instead drew closer to one of the walls. The building was made of enormous stone blocks overhung by dark roof tiles that were fringed with icicles. Beneath the icicles, along the sides of the paths, there were pools of ice. Colette had tried to stay clear of the icy areas, knowing very well that combining ice with her normal agility- or lack thereof- was an accident waiting to happen. But part of her was interested in how the puddles looked. They weren't clear, but cloudy, with the tops frosted over. The dendritic patterns in the ice were almost fern-like, stretching out in all directions. But as Colette examined them, she noticed that all of them had a characteristic curve to them. She'd seen her share of ice crystals, and she knew that wasn't normal.

"Zelos? Come look at this."

He had already advanced ahead a short distance, and had to backtrack when he heard her voice. "What are you doing? The place I'm telling you about is just around that corner-"

"Look at this ice."

"Huh?"

The two were silent for a moment as Zelos examined the scene under their feet. "What about it?"

"The patterns are weird. Usually they're all random, flowing in every direction differently. But these are all curved the same way. Do you think it has something to do with the mana abnormality?" Colette knelt down slowly, resting on her knees and running a hand over the ice curiously. "The school in Iselia is doing a water unit with our students right now. Water forms hexagonal crystals because of its molecular shape and polarity. If the crystals were manipulated when they were forming, don't you think a weird energy source might have caused it?"

"Mana is energy itself, and the presence of larger than average amounts of mana in an area will produce an energy gradient," Zelos spoke, almost as though he were thinking out loud. "The energy gradient would have an effect on the orientation of the water molecules. Colette, this might be exactly what we're looking for!" He grabbed her hand and tugged her with him in the direction they'd been going, turning the corner sharply. Colette wasn't prepared for the sudden change in speed, and her foot hit a slick patch of ice, throwing her off balance.

"Ah!"

She fell against Zelos' back, tossing one arm around his waist to support herself. He stopped, but with the force of her grabbing hold of him from behind, he slid a short distance himself and blundered into the wall of the nearby storage unit.

" _Ouch_!"

It took the two a minute or so to regroup. Colette stepped back apologetically and Zelos dusted off his knees and removed his gloves to make sure that he hadn't scuffed up the palms of his hands.

"You okay?" he asked finally.

"I-I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to knock you over-"

"I asked if you were okay."

"W-well I'm fine, but-"

Zelos placed one hand on Colette's shoulder, tilting her chin with the other so that she'd look at him instead of down at her feet. "If you're okay, then that's what's most important. Don't worry about it. It wasn't your fault and no one got hurt. Alright?"

Colette had heard that line plenty of times before, so only few people ever said it with the sincerity to make her accept it. But… the way Zelos was looking at her and the soft smile on his face… she really did believe what he was saying.

"…alright. Thank you, Zelos."

"Not to mention that I think we've found the storage unit we're looking for. Look at this."

Before Colette could say anything else, he had turned around and begun examining the door to the unit that they'd blundered into. Satisfied that there was nothing of interest on the door itself, he took a step back to examine the wall of the building as a whole. Colette saw his puzzled expression light up suddenly and she followed his gaze to see what it was that had so entranced him.

"…those icicles…"

Where most parts of the building had small, slender icicles that were little more than suspended water droplets, the icicles around this particular unit were more robust, rounder, and dipping further off the side of the roof than the others. It was a slight difference that would have been easy to miss, especially paying attention to one's feet as was necessary in a place like this. But… there was enough of a difference that, if you looked for it, you couldn't miss it. And you couldn't miss why either: the roof above the unit was almost bare, all the snow having melted away and run off the roof. Only that one unit; no others seemed to be affected.

"I think we've found our warrant," Zelos murmured.

"Why is the snow melting over this one unit? The door wasn't warm to the touch." Colette drew closer, removing her gloves to test against the metal door. It was, like everything else in the area, bitterly cold. "Is there maybe residual heat that's rising to the top of the room? Mana itself wouldn't cause that to happen."

"…it's a converter…" Zelos murmured.

"What?"

"That's the only thing that makes sense." Zelos stepped up to the door, pressing his hand to it as well. "Whatever magitechnology is in there, it's taking power- mana- from one source and converting it into another source. It's similar to how key crests convert the power of exspheres into a form that isn't dangerous to a human body. You know how your key crest feels warm when you're using your angelic powers? It's the conversion that generates heat as a byproduct."

Colette frowned. "Then whatever's in there… is actively converting mana as we speak?"

Zelos answered without taking his eyes off the door. "Most likely. But I can't say what the initial source is and what it's being converted into. But to have the conversion actively taking place… that's something that has to be monitored. Someone must be coming to check on this unit _daily_ at the very least." He stopped and banged his fist against the door. Colette feared at first that he was angry, but the triumphant smile on his face suggested otherwise. "That's it! We have them!"

"If we wait here, then they'll surely return to check on the device!" Colette clapped her hands happily. "Then we can talk to them and ask what's going on."

Zelos took a few steps back from the wall and turned around, starting back in the direction from which they'd come. "Problem is, I'm not going to stand here all night waiting around. Especially not since there were already footprints in the snow when we came by. It snowed last night, which means somebody's been by this way earlier this morning. If it's a daily check, they'll probably come back around tomorrow morning."

"I didn't think about that."

"We can come back tomorrow morning and check things out. For now, let's just head back to the resort so that nobody gets suspicious of us being gone so long. It's going to get dark soon too."

"R-right."

Colette followed, and soon the two had traced their steps- churning up the snow as they did so to hide their footprints- back to where they'd entered the facility. Once safely outside, they returned to the trail, walking silently in single file, Zelos in front and Colette behind him. She looked up at the sky, noticing the clouds that were moving in being turned pink by the sun that was approaching the horizon. It was barely mid-afternoon according to the time, but as autumn was pressing on, daylight hours were becoming shorter and shorter, and the sun continued to set earlier each evening and rise later each morning. Colette wondered how the people who lived this far north could stand losing the sun for such a long time in the winter. Did it make up for it in the summer when the sun shone all the time? Yet somehow people made their homes as far north as here and farther, growing resiliently despite the difficulties. It was an interesting concept to consider, and she couldn't help musing on it.

After a while, she realized that she and Zelos had walked along the mountainside all the way back around to where the resort was visible. How long had it been? She'd been lost in thought, and he hadn't said anything to her. Normally when she had her head in the clouds, her friends would start asking her questions and try to drum up a conversation. But Zelos had left her to her own devices. Was he… not interested in talking to her?

"Oh, Zelos. I'm sorry- I was thinking about things for a while there. I'm sorry I was so quiet."

"Don't apologize. I figured you were thinking things through, so I didn't want to bother you."

Her face turned flush despite the cold. "I wasn't trying to ignore you."

"I never thought you were. To tell the truth, I was thinking about some things myself. Your quiet allowed me the chance to answer some questions I had in my head since yesterday, so thanks." He stopped and turned around to her. "What's the matter? Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing's wrong. It's just a little new to me, is all."

"What is?"

"Just… standing around and thinking about things with a friend." Colette shrugged her shoulders. "Sometimes when I'm with my friends and it's quiet, the atmosphere feels awkward. But when I'm around you, I don't feel awkward at all. I like talking to you, but at the same time, I don't feel like I _have_ to. I get lost in thought so easily, it sometimes makes people mad at me. But you've never gotten mad at me for daydreaming around you."

Zelos chuckled and moved closer so that he could put a comforting hand on the top of her head. "You're not the only one who likes to daydream. If I had my way, I'd never have to come back to the real world. But most of the time I'm too caught up in putting on my facade- whether as the _Chosen_ or here as Enrico… I'm just glad I've found people I can be myself around. You and Seles and Lloyd and Sheena…" He stopped and took a step away, clearing his throat. "I don't mean to get all sappy or anything. I'm just saying that you don't have to apologize for being you. Not to me, anyway."

There was a short period of silence between the two. Neither spoke, both preoccupied with looking either at the ground or the sky. Finally, Zelos was surprised by Colette suddenly grabbing hold of his arm.

"Let's go play in the snow!"

"Huh?"

"C'mon- I know you said you hated the snow, but maybe if we do something fun together, you'll learn to tolerate it. It'll be light for another few minutes at least, and we can see the lights of the resort from here so we won't get lost. Let's stop and make a snowman!"

Zelos could physically feel the color drain from his face. "…a _snowman_?"

"W-well, it doesn't have to be a snowman necessarily. We could make a snow fort, or something else… like a snow dog! Wouldn't that be cute?"

"…a snowman…" Zelos repeated. He tried to force a smile, but it didn't quite make it. "…uh, yeah. That's fine. We can do that."

* * *

(Weekly updates will now be on Mondays. Thanks so much for following the story, and I hope you continue to enjoy it!)


	10. Chapter 10

As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow #38**

 _Bidh an t-ubhal as fhe_ _àrr air a'mheangan as àirde._

The best apple is the one farthest from reach

 **10-**

"What is that necklace anyway? I thought it looked interesting, but I didn't realize it had magical properties."

Once Seles' condition was stabilized, Hazel sent the group back to the conference room to talk over what they were going to do. Of course, the biggest question was about the necklace and whatever powers that Hazel had invoked to stop the coughing spell. The nurse wasn't there to answer the questions, but luckily Genis had the information.

"That necklace was a birthday gift from my sister. It's a special glass that's infused with powdered unicorn horn, so it can be used for healing purposes just like an intact unicorn horn can," Genis explained.

"Where did the professor get powdered unicorn horn? Isn't that…" Lloyd's voice trailed off.

"She collected it from a group of tomb-raiders that she chased off one of her team's dig sites. It was already in a powdered form when she obtained it, so there wasn't much else to do with it in order to use it."

"I see." Sheena nodded. "And garnering Zelos' favor by offering his sister nice gifts isn't a bad strategy, especially considering how poorly he and Professor Sage have gotten along in the past-"

"Hey, now! Raine gave that gift out of the goodness of her heart!"

"Oh, I'm sure she did. But it doesn't hurt to get on Zelos' good side, does it?"

"Um," Ida interrupted them, her quiet voice taking on a more urgent tone. "is Lady Seles going to be alright?"

"Don't worry! Hazel said she's going to be fine," Lloyd assured her, resting one hand on her shoulder. "Hazel is a nurse that was hired by Zelos himself, so you know she's the best in the business."

"Really? She seems a bit young," Genis murmured. "How old is she anyway? Seventeen? Eighteen?"

"Does it matter?" Lloyd shrugged. "After all, this is coming from the kid who's studying at university at the age of fifteen."

"Touché."

Sheena cleared her throat conspicuously and moved one seat over so that she could be closer to where Ida was sitting. "So, Ida, can we talk to you about something?"

Ida stared at her. "What is it?"

"Yeah," Lloyd agreed, "what is it?"

Sheena frowned and poked Lloyd in the side. "Names," she hissed.

"Oh, yeah! Names! Right!" The reminder brought Lloyd back to his senses. "We've been talking and brainstorming ideas on how to find out what your real name was."

"My real name? Why?"

"...why? Because it'll help us figure out who you are, silly." Lloyd laughed as though she'd said something funny, but Ida's expression made it clear that she wasn't joking, and he backpedaled. "I, uh, mean... don't you want to know who you are?"

"Of course. More than anything. But do you think it's a good idea to rush my memories back? Maybe we're supposed to let them come back on their own."

"But I thought you were in a hurry," Lloyd responded. "You want to be reunited with your baby and the man from your dream, don't you?"

"Y-yes, yes! Of course I do." Ida looked down at her lap in embarrassment. "But, are you really that eager to be rid of me...?"

"Is that what this is about?" Sheena reached over Lloyd and placed her hand on Ida's. "Don't think that. Lloyd wants to help you recover your memories because he cares about you and wants to do what will make you happy. If you'd rather let your memories come back naturally, just say so."

"N-no, I... I misunderstood. Thank you." Ida shook her head. "I do want to know who I am, and if knowing my name will help me get there, then that's what we should do. But how are we supposed to figure it out?"

"We've generated a list," Lloyd began, digging into his bag and pulling out the paper that he'd been writing the names down on earlier. "Based on what you've told us so far, we think these are very likely candidates. How about I read them off slowly, and you see if any of them feel right?"

"I suppose." Ida shrugged her shoulders. "You think I'll know my name when I hear it?"

"We hope."

"Then it's worth a try!" Lloyd clapped his hands and then waved to silence the group (though the gesture was unnecessary when it was just Genis and Sheena at the table.) He then cleared his throat. "...Nadiya."

"...no." Ida shook her head. "I don't recognize that one."

"Esperanza?"

"...ah, no."

"Raja?"

"N...no. That one doesn't sound familiar."

"How about Hope?"

Ida's features lit up at the sound of that, which gave everyone pause. However, her response was only "...that's a pretty name. I like it. It's not mine, but I like it. I feel like... like I'd name my daughter that if I had one." She stopped abruptly and gasped. "Hey! Do you think that might be my baby's name? Maybe that's why I love the name you gave me, Lloyd! It means the same thing as my daughter's-"

"Wait a minute, Ida," Genis broke in. "You told Sheena that Ida means hope. Is that true?"

"Yeah. It's what Lloyd told me- hope for a bright future!" She looked over at Lloyd with a smile. "Isn't that right?"

Lloyd shifted his weight in his chair, absentmindedly drumming his fingers against the table. "Well, uh, the truth is... I never said that."

"Huh?"

"Don't you remember the knock-knock joke I told you back at the cafe? The day we first met, I mean."

He frowned as he watched Ida's reaction slowly unfold, her excitement fading into reserved melancholy.

"That's right... it was a joke, wasn't it? But that doesn't make sense. I remember you saying... that Ida was..." She stopped abruptly, jumping to her feet with a gasp. "-no! It wasn't you! It was someone else! I remember it now!"

Lloyd grabbed hold of her arm and gently tugged on her sleeve. "C-calm down. Do you remember who it was and what they said?"

Reluctantly, Ida lowered herself back into her seat. "I... don't remember him well. But I know it was a man. He had a kind voice just like yours, Lloyd. I don't remember his face well- when I try to picture him, I hear his voice, but I see your face."

"My face?" Lloyd blinked. "Why?"

"Well, because, I thought that you were the only one who would use the name Ida..."

"I see. It's a trick of the mind," Genis broke in. "Our brains don't like to leave blanks. Because Ida can't remember the person's identity, she's subconsciously filled it in with Lloyd. It doesn't necessarily mean anything other than that she's functioning like a normal human would."

Ida sighed. "That's a relief."

"That's more than a relief for me," Lloyd added. "With all the strange things I was hearing about you from other people, I'm glad to know that you're a normal human. N-not that I ever doubted it, but..."

"It's okay, Lloyd." Ida smiled. "I agree."

Sheena cleared her throat and sat up a little straighter. "This may seem a bit intrusive, but can you tell us exactly what you remember this man saying? I mean, the name Ida doesn't really mean 'hope,' so..."

"It doesn't?"

"It comes from a word root meaning hard work," Genis replied.

"It does?"

Lloyd nodded. "Either that or it comes from some myth... what'd you say it was about, Genis? A mountain?"

Before Genis could open his mouth to respond, Ida jumped up and grabbed the piece of paper that Lloyd had been holding, snatching a pencil from the middle of the table as she did so.

"I remember it now! I think I remember what he looked like! He was saying that Ida is the name of the mountain where the mythical god Zeus was raised, hidden safely away from his murderous father, Cronus..." She was furiously scribbling away on the paper as she spoke. "...so the name Ida is perfect to represent hope for the future of a child born into a hateful world, so that she might grow up safely and happily, far from the reaches of Cruxis-"

The whole table jumped to attention. "Cruxis?!" Sheena demanded.

Ida stopped drawing. "That's what he said. What is a _cruxis_ anyway?"

"Cruxis was an organization that did some really terrible things," Lloyd answered. "Are you saying that you were being pursued by Cruxis since the time you were a baby?"

Ida crushed the piece of paper in her hands without realizing it. "I-I don't know..." She realized what she was doing and suddenly started smoothing the paper again. "I mean, I couldn't tell you at this point."

"It would make sense, though," Lloyd spoke, "with the dreams you described. The place you said you were locked away- that sounded a lot like one of the Desians' human ranches. That's where members of Cruxis held humans and experimented on them, turning them into exspheres. If you had escaped from a human ranch, that would explain your memory of running away from someone who wanted to take your child."

"Besides that," Sheena added, "the man who told Lloyd that you shouldn't exist... he was a former member of Cruxis himself."

"Shouldn't exist...?" Genis murmured. "Who said that? You don't mean Kr-"

"It was someone who's proven himself to be untrustworthy in the past," Lloyd broke in before Genis could mention the name and potentially upset Ida even further. "I'm the one in charge of caring for Ida, and I'm not going to let anyone hurt her. Sacrificing people's lives is never the answer."

There was a period of silence. Sheena and Genis were exchanging uneasy glances in between catching sight of Lloyd staring at them meaningfully. Ida, meanwhile, was looking at her feet.

"It seems like worrying about it now won't do any good," Sheena finally spoke up. "Ida is slowly getting her memories back, so I'm sure that answers will surface if we're patient. Rescuing Colette and Zelos should be our first priority."

"Good for you, Sheena!" Lloyd laughed, giving her a playful slap on the shoulder.

"Huh? For what?"

"You mentioned Zelos. You really do care."

Sheena rolled her eyes. "Don't look too far into it. I just want to be the one to kick his butt for ruining the festival for us."

The exchange helped to dissolve the tension, and the group sat down again, Lloyd reaching for the cold pastries that were still in the middle of the table while Genis pulled out a book he'd borrowed from his school's library and began discussing it with Sheena. Ida continued work on her drawing until she finally finished it with a sigh.

"There! Done. It's not perfect, and I can't remember his face all that well, but here's the man from my memory as best as I can draw him." She shoved the paper into the middle of the table so that everyone could examine it. They did, but the reveal was underwhelming.

"That's, uh, nice... we'll keep an eye out for anyone who looks like this..." Sheena murmured. She wasn't an artist by any stretch of the imagination, so she had no room to criticize, but there was no way that they could identify a person just based on that image.

Genis, meanwhile, was working to stifle his laughter. "L-Lloyd, this reminds me of your old wanted poster..."

"Do you still have that thing in your desk drawer?! Genis, I told you to get rid of it!"

"But it would look so good framed and hung on the wall-"

"-don't you dare-"

"Your birthday is coming up soon, isn't it Lloyd? I never did get you a housewarming present when you bought that place in Luin. It needs some decoration, I'm sure-"

"GENIS!"

Sheena was about to jump in between the two to keep their squabble from turning into a catfight, but she didn't have to. There was a knock on the door to the room, and Hazel stepped in, causing everyone in the room to fall silent. They were waiting for a report on Seles' health.

"The mistress is awake, but she's still weak. We're going to have to postpone our departure until tomorrow morning, but so long as there are no further problems, we should be able to arrive in Flanoir within about twenty hours."

"That sounds good to me," Lloyd replied. "Thank you. Is there anything you need us to do?"

"If you could- there is a list of supplies I had been planning to buy this afternoon on our way out of town, but the mistress' condition requires me to stay at the manor. I would appreciate help gathering everything from the market. I'll provide you four with the money if you'll bring everything back."

"Sure. We can do that." Lloyd glanced back at his friends. "If we all split up, it'll take way less time! What do you guys say?"

"It would also give us something to do," Sheena agreed. "I'd hate to be idle with all that's going on."

Ida nodded. "Yeah! Just give us the list, and we'll get everything you need!"

Within a few minutes, Hazel had provided them with the list and the necessary funds, and they started out toward the market. Ida seemed to be the most excited of all of them, running so far ahead that Lloyd had to race after her and grab hold of her hand to make sure she was going in the right direction. Hazel watched them until they'd made it down the main staircase, and then returned to the room to clean up the table they'd littered with stray crumbs. Once she'd swept them onto the plate and set it aside, she took a step toward the window and examined the view of the courtyard. The weather was mild and sunny, and it didn't seem fair that such a beautiful day could be ruined by what was going on around them. She'd pulled her scarf off of her head and had it pooled around her neck, absentmindedly playing with the ends, so distracted with the view outside that she didn't hear the door open until she was spoken to by someone.

"Miss Hazel? Sorry to bother you, but I had a question-"

Genis stopped speaking when he saw the panicked look in her eyes. She grabbed the edges of her scarf and threw it back over her head.

"Yes, sir? What is it?" She spoke loudly enough for him to hear, but her head was bowed respectfully.

"U-um, I just... where you wrote Apple Gels, I was wondering if Lemon Gels would be an acceptable substitute. Or would you rather-"

"Either is fine. The shopkeeper at the end of Grove Street generally gives me apple, but there's no reason lemon couldn't be substituted if they're unavailable. Thank you, sir, for asking."

"Of course I'd ask. It's..." Genis stopped and shook his head. "But don't call me _sir_. No half-elf should have to grovel like that. Especially not to another half-elf."

Hazel stood up a little straighter, staring at him in surprise. "You're-?"

"Are you okay, Miss Hazel?"

"Yes, I'm fine." She quickly nodded and picked up the plate, carrying it with her out the door. "I need to go check on the mistress. I'll see you and your party soon."

Genis didn't speak to her again after that, instead rushing to catch up with Lloyd and the others. Lloyd was in the front keeping an eye on Ida, but Sheena greeted Genis and asked about the substitution issue.

"She said either would be fine..." Genis responded quietly. "...um, Sheena? Can I ask you a question? Didn't Lloyd say that Zelos hired Miss Hazel as Seles' nurse?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Nothing. I was just curious. I wonder if he knows..."

"Knows what?"

Genis shook his head. "It's not important."

* * *

"Well... this is it, I suppose. If I wanted to hide something big, I'd do it in a place like this."

Yuan looked out onto the mountains in front of him, surveying the lights that indicated buildings and homes. A snowstorm was brewing from the south and would likely overtake their position soon, so they had to act quickly, whatever they were planning to do. Still, Kratos hadn't seemed able to concentrate since they'd met up. Yuan was honestly surprised to hear him speak up in response to the earlier statement.

"You did."

"Excuse me?"

"You did. The Renegade base?"

"Oh yeah..."

There was a brief silence. Yuan stepped forward and his boot sunk down into the snow, sending him spiraling down the hillside with a yelp. When he finally came to a rest at the bottom of the hill, he pulled himself to his feet, shaking the snow out of his cape. Kratos hadn't moved.

"Oh, gee, thanks a LOT for the help, Kratos. I really appreciate it," Yuan spluttered, watching as Kratos carefully descended to stand beside him. Kratos ignored the sarcasm completely.

"The comet will be visible in the sky tomorrow night. Whoever is planning this must be entering the final steps to put everything in motion. We don't have time to dawdle."

"You don't have to tell me that." Yuan scowled as he followed after Kratos down the path. "I'm not the one with his head in the clouds with meaningless worries."

"Meaningless?" Kratos stopped abruptly.

"We have a lot of exspheres to worry about right now. Lloyd's isn't one of them."

"Thats not what I was worried about."

"Are you sure?"

"I know what's going on in my own mind." Kratos raised one eyebrow. "Who would know my thoughts better than I would?"

Yuan laughed. "With as long as we've known each other, you'd be surprised."

That was not the answer that Kratos wanted to hear, but at this point, he didn't want to waste the time it might take to argue with Yuan over the issue.

Yuan would probably win anyway.


	11. Chapter 11

There's a note at the end concerning the Dwarven Vows, so please take a look at it once you've finished reading the chapter. As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow #17:  
** _Cha robh naigheachd mh_ _òr riamh nach robh na chall do dhuin'eigin.  
_ All good news is bad news to somebody.

 **11-**

"Meltokio is such a beautiful city, Lloyd! I can't believe we got to explore it all afternoon!"

Ida was practically in a daze as she followed her companions back to the Wilder mansion. Lloyd, even weighed down with most of the supplies they'd bought, couldn't help laughing at her enthusiasm.

"You don't have to tell me that. I haven't been here in a long time, so I'm having just as much fun as you are."

"I've never seen so many shops in one place. They must sell _everything_ here!"

"Yeah, I'll bet they do-"

"And there's so many people and animals! There were cats everywhere, and I saw a really cool dog hanging out by one of the fountains! He licked my hand!"

"You should tell Colette about that. She loves dogs-"

"And that place we ate for lunch! It was sooo good! I've never had a sandwich with marmalade on it before. What a combination! I'll have to try making it at home sometime."

"Y-yeah, though it would've been better if there weren't so many people…" Lloyd glanced behind him toward his friends. "You guys, next time we have some time off, we should all come back here and eat at that little cafe! What was it-The Elephant House? Sometime when it's not so crowded-"

"It may be difficult for me to get away next semester, since I'm beginning my internship," Genis offered. "So don't get your hopes up."

"I understand- that's alright. Sheena and I can eat together, just us. It'll be a date."

Sheena stepped next to Lloyd and shoved one of the bags she was carrying onto his shoulder. "Don't get your hopes up for that either."

"Aw, c'mon! I thought you loved that sandwich you had."

"That's not the point. You can't just schedule a date without asking the person first." Sheena rolled her eyes and pushed him forward through the gates of the mansion. "It's getting dark. We shouldn't keep Hazel waiting any longer."

"Right, right..."

"Hey, uh, guys?"

Lloyd, Sheena, and Ida were already halfway up the steps when they heard Genis calling out to them from behind. They stopped and turned, curious as to what the issue was.

"Something wrong, Genis?" Ida asked.

"I was just going to say that I can take the bags for you if you like. Since we already had dinner, you should go ahead and settle into the guest rooms. Hand the bags to me, and I'll get them to Hazel."

"You sure?" Sheena asked. "This is a lot of stuff."

"It's no problem. I can handle it. I actually had some things I wanted to ask Miss Hazel about. I'll see you guys a little bit later."

They all gave him their bags and waved to him as he walked down the opposite hallway. Sheena and Lloyd glanced at one another uneasily. They knew Genis well enough to know that something wasn't quite right.

"I wonder what Genis wanted to ask Miss Hazel," Ida spoke absentmindedly as she began up the staircase. She stopped and gasped. "Oh! Do you think he likes her? They would be so cute together!"

"I don't think that's it. Genis has somebody else that he likes. And as for Hazel… I, erm, don't think Genis is her _type_." Lloyd shook his head. "Genis seemed concerned about something. I wonder if something happened."

"He asked me about Hazel when he came back from getting clarification on the medicine," Sheena added. "Something about Zelos hiring her."

"Did Zelos not hire her?" Lloyd asked.

"He did."

"Is there a problem with that?"

"I don't... think so..." Sheena shook her head. "Let's not worry about that. C'mon- I'd like to go through some names again. I'm not satisfied assuming that you managed to guess Ida's real name through a joke. That would be too much of a coincidence."

Ida had reached the top step, but when Sheena spoke her name, she turned around. "But what about the man in my memory? And Cruxis?"

"It's true you have a memory about the name Ida. But there's no guarantee that it's _your_ name. It could be the name of someone close to you; someone you know or used to know."

Ida frowned, but followed after Sheena as she led down the hallway toward the room they'd been given. Lloyd followed them as well, running forward to catch up with Sheena.

"What do you suggest, then? Are we just going to make up a bunch of names and yell them out until we find the right one?"

"I have a book. Genis and I grabbed it from the library on our way past. It's an alphabetical listing of all registered first names from Meltokio's census two years ago. Ida is from Sylvarant, I know, but the names should be similar in both places."

Lloyd pressed closer to her so that he could get a better look at the book. "That's huge. Are we going through the whole thing?"

"I figured we would." Sheena shrugged. "Start at the beginning and just work our way through-"

"Let's start at the very back with Z!" Lloyd snatched the book from Sheena's bag before she even had the chance to argue, flipping through to the back of the book. "Zuleika. Does that ring a bell? Zuleika?"

Ida shook her head. "No."

"How about Zoya?"

"I don't think so. It doesn't sound familiar."

"Zorana?"

"No."

"Zoe?"

"No..."

* * *

Genis regretted taking all of the bags with him very soon after he split from the group, but it was too late for him to change his mind. Besides- he wanted to speak with Hazel properly, if only to find out what was going on. He knew how Zelos felt about half-elves, not that he wasn't improving. Genis just didn't want the secret to come out unintentionally and possibly cost Hazel her job.

"Miss Hazel? I, uh, brought everything we picked up." Genis pushed open the door to the kitchen, where Hazel said they'd find her. She was preparing some medicine to take with them, so her back was turned and she didn't bother turning around.

"Just put them on the counter. I'll deal with them later. Thank you."

Genis set the bags down, but he didn't leave, instead staying to make sure that everything was there.

"This was a lot of items for you to, uh, pick up on the way out of town," he spoke in a low voice. "Surely you've done enough shopping to know how long it would take to gather all these things, even for a group of people."

"Yes? And?"

"I thought perhaps you'd sent us on a fool's errand to get us out of the house for some reason, but then I remembered that you'd written it before Seles' coughing fit. You knew we'd never make it out of Meltokio by our expected departure time with all the supplies we still needed. Why would someone as intelligent as you are leave all this shopping until the last minute?"

Hazel stopped what she was doing and wiped her hands on a dishtowel with a sigh. "Fine. You caught me."

"Were you stalling for time?" Genis took a step forward. "Trying to keep us from going to Flanoir?"

"Yes." Hazel closed her eyes and sighed. "It's no use hiding it from you. I was prepared to do everything in my power to keep us from leaving for Flanoir."

"...why? Is it something to do with Lloyd and me? With Colette? With Zelos? Wi-"

"With Master Zelos. And with Mistress Seles."

Genis was quiet for a moment.

"...what about them?"

Hazel turned toward him finally, bringing her gaze up to look him in the eye.

"Can you keep a secret?"

* * *

"Isn't this great, Zelos? The mountainside is completely white!"

Colette started up the hillside with enthusiasm, gathering a snowball in her hands and rolling it about in a snowdrift to add size to it as best she could. Zelos, meanwhile, hadn't made any effort towards that end. He was standing to the side, watching.

 _"Isn't this great, mother? Meltokio is completely white!"_

The snowball that Colette was rolling hit against a rock that was jutting out of the hillside and split into pieces. She gasped, and then sat back with a sigh. "This is harder than I thought. The snow here isn't anything like the snow we sometimes get back in Iselia."

"It's nothing like the snow we get in Meltokio either," he replied. "We don't."

"You don't?" Colette stopped what she was doing and looked up at him. "Not at all?"

"Well, very rarely." Zelos sat down next to her, taking a broken piece of packed snow from her hands. "I was ten years old when I saw snow for the first time."

"Really?" Colette clasped her hands together. "We don't get snow in Iselia much either, but I do remember it a few times as a young child. For you to have been that old… it must have been magical!"

"...oh, there was magic alright..."

There was a moment of silence between them. Zelos was eyeing the clouds overhead, but Colette closed her eyes and leaned her head against his shoulder. He froze instinctively, not sure what to make of the gesture.

"Colette?"

"I'm so happy we came here. Even though our reasoning for it was scary at first, we've found the machine you were scared about, and now everyone is going to be safe. And I've... I've had so much fun." She rested more of her weight on his shoulder, now completely leaning against his side. "I don't know how to thank you."

Zelos' nervousness manifested itself in his usual smug demeanor. "No thanks needed, my dear," he murmured, tossing his arm around her shoulder if only to keep her from leaning so heavily on it. "Your presence alone brings me happiness enough."

Colette giggled. "Zelos, you're so funny!"

Funny. Now that was a descriptor he hadn't received before. Something in the back of his mind told him that he should be offended, but... he was too happy to be offended.

Before he could say anything, Colette shook his arm off and jumped to her feet. "I've got it! I can make a big snowman as a present for you!"

 _That's right! I can make a big snowman as a present for mother! I'm sure she'll be happy!_

"Colette-" Zelos rose to his feet shakily. "-you really don't have to-"

"Marie? Enrico? Is that you?"

A voice from farther up the mountainside caught their attention, and they both stopped to look in its direction. Zelos sighed in utter relief for the interruption.

"Orrison!"

Both Zelos and Colette ran up the hillside to meet the priest, who was waving at them. He greeted them warmly, though out of breath.

"What brings you two all the way out here? Are you on your way to the observation deck at the fifth camp?"

"Fifth camp?" Colette asked.

"Up the mountain. There are seven camps along the way up, with number seven at the base just past here and number one at the summit. Fifth camp is the highest you can climb without specialized climbing gear, so I went up that way earlier today. I'd hoped to get back before dark, but it took longer than expected." Orrison sighed and brushed his hair out of his face. "What I really want is to see the view from the summit, though. I hear it's spectacular." He laughed. "If only we could fly, right?"

Zelos laughed alongside him. "If only."

Colette, meanwhile, had walked around to the other side of them. She tugged on Orrison's sleeve.

"Could we ask you a favor?"

"Oh, certainly! After all you've done for me, I owe you. Just name it."

"My brother and I aren't very well experienced with snow." Colette let go of his sleeve and clasped her hands together. "Would you help teach us how to make a snowman?"

Orrison smiled. "A snowman? That's an easy task! Of course I can help."

It was at that point Zelos realized that the situation was out of his hands. He gave a soft sigh of resignation and hiked over to a comfy-looking rock where he could sit and observe.

"You two keep up the good work. I'll supervise from over here."

"Huh?" Colette turned to look at him. "You're not going to help make it?"

"It's a present for me, isn't it? Do you really expect me to work on my own present?"

"I suppose that makes sense..."

With the sun having set and the area growing darker by the minute, Zelos could see his cloudy breath outlined prominently against the starless sky. The air around him felt stifling, as though the cold were pressing against his body from every angle. He felt trapped, unable to escape the merciless cold and everything it represented for him. Every shadow now appearing along the mountainside looked at first glance like a pool of blood. Zelos _had_ to find something else to think about, or he was going to drive himself mad.

Orrison.

The priest had been as good a distraction as anything on this trip, and after their conversation by the lake the previous day, Zelos was certain that Orrison knew something about the magitechnology weapon that he and Colette were after. Was that why he'd come this way? Was he looking for something on the viewing platform on the mountain that he couldn't see from the ground?

"Yo, Orrison! Would you mind coming over here for a sec? I'd like to talk to you."

The snowman was beginning to take shape, and Colette was busy arranging several stones in the form of facial features, so Orrison left her side and approached Zelos. "You rang?"

"Have you been out here all day today?"

"Since it was light out, so... about six or seven hours?"

Zelos nodded. "That's good. Has it been crowded- I mean, have you seen people around the mountains?"

Orrison thought it over for a moment. "I saw a few people along the pathways, and several people staying in the hiking camps, but nothing major. Why? Are you looking for someone?"

"Sort of." Zelos shrugged. "It's complicated, but I was just wondering if you'd seen anything suspicious."

"Nothing that I'd consider such. Everyone I met along the way was a climber going up the mountain for sightseeing. The comet will be visible starting tomorrow night, and a lot of people are trying to get above the cloud cover for a clear view."

"I see. Thanks." With a sigh, Zelos turned his attention back to the sky. It was almost completely dark now, and with the sky obscured by clouds, there wasn't much light to help illuminate the path. "If you want to get back to the hotel before it gets really dark, you should get going. But... I'd like to talk to you later, if that's okay."

"Sure thing," Orrison stood up and started down the path. "What's your room number? I can come by tomorrow morning and meet you and your sister for breakfast."

"Room five-twenty-three; it's the King Salmon suite, so you should see the sign. We have some plans early- can you manage an early start? Say around five-thirty?"

"Certainly. I'll be off now, but you should go talk to your sister. I think she's almost finished with her project."

Orrison waved, but Zelos didn't have the heart to wave back. That distraction hadn't lasted long, and it hadn't yielded any good information either. Something about what Orrison was saying didn't feel right, but Zelos couldn't put his finger on it. The priest didn't seem the type to lie, but a lie of omission, particularly if it was to protect his "divine" mission, might be acceptable-

" _Brother_? Is he gone?"

Colette's voice interrupted Zelos' train of thought. He looked to make sure that Orrison was out of earshot and then nodded his head.

"Don't worry, Colette, you don't have to pretend anymore. He's gone."

"Oh, I wasn't worried. I just wanted to present this to you properly." Colette had stepped in front of her creation, motioning with her hands. "This is to thank you for everything you've done. It's... a snow angel."

Zelos hadn't been looking, so he was surprised by what he saw. It was a small snowman, but decorated as lavishly as the environment would allow. Colette's scarf was tied around it, with the ends blowing in the wind as it whipped around the mountainside. The back of the snowman was adorned with fallen branches from some of the nearby pine trees, fashioned into rudimentary wings.

"An angel?" he murmured.

"There's a story behind it." Colette waved her hands and sat down on the ground, lying back to demonstrate what she was describing. "See, in Iselia, on the rare occasions when it snowed, we made figures called snow angels in front of our houses. You do it by lying in the snow and waving your arms and legs to make a wing and robe shape. They were supposed to protect houses from dangerous winter weather." Satisfied with her work, she stood up to admire her finished product, shaking snow out of the collar of her dress. "This was, of course, when we believed that angels were servants of the goddess Martel, but..."

Zelos walked silently over to the snow sculpture, kneeling down to examine its wings.

"...thank you, Colette. It's beautiful."

"It's supposed to be you," she continued. "I know you don't like the idea of being the Chosen and all that, but this isn't anything like that. Snow angels are protectors, guardians, creatures that work for the safety and happiness of others. You've given up your time to come here to this place, despite how you feel about the weather, all to make sure that people are safe. You invited me and gave me somewhere to go even when I felt like I was alone. You've worked hard exploring the area and collecting information all for the sake of people you don't even know."

Zelos didn't want to look at her. "I'm just doing what anybody would do."

"That's not true! You're everyone's snow angel, Zelos!"

Colette ran forward and clasped his hands in hers, causing him to look up and face her. She smiled at him, a soft, grateful smile etched into her flushed cheeks.

"You're _my_ snow angel."

The wind on the mountain continued to beat against the trees and drifts of snow, and loose flakes being blown about could have been mistaken for falling snow. However, the overcast sky had yet to drop any snowflakes, and for the moment the moon was trying to peek through small gaps between the clouds.

Zelos shifted his hands so that his and Colette's were clasped together. "Let's go to the summit," he whispered.

"What?"

"Orrison said that the view from up there is wonderful, right? Let's go up there and take it in. See what the world looks like from up above."

Colette laughed nervously. "But don't we need climbing gear for-?"

She cut off her sentence as she realized. Zelos knew that she had gotten his implication, but he stated it for her anyway. "If only we could fly, right?" He laughed to himself and motioned toward the path. "Let's walk a little further until we can find a spot with good visibility. In the meantime, I have a confession to make. Earlier I told you why I hated snow, but… it was a lie. I don't want to lie to you anymore. There's a story I need to tell you."

* * *

((Dwarven Vow #8- " _He who does not look forward will be looking back_." It means that, if you don't act carefully and pay attention to what you are doing, you'll have to own up to your mistakes in the future. And it seems that I'm finding myself looking back right now- specifically to chapter 9! With my sincerest apologies, I want to let everyone know that the translation I provided for Dwarven Vow number six (" _Companionship makes the road shorter_ ") was given in the WRONG LANGUAGE. " _Giorraíonn beirt bóthar"_ is Irish. To the best of my knowledge, the Scots Gaelic translation would be " _Dà a ghiorrachadh an rathad."_ I've gone back and corrected it, but I wanted to make sure everyone was aware.

I've gone through the rest of the chapters, and it looks like chapter 9 is the only one in which this mistake was made (though I did notice some typos with acutes vs. graves; I have chosen to leave them as they are.) As I mentioned at the beginning of the story, I'm not as well-educated in Gaelic as I would like to be. However, I've seen Scots Gaelic and Irish once compared to Spanish and Portuguese, as a Spanish-speaker I know how bewildering it is to stumble upon something in Portuguese and feel like I _should_ understand it, but _don't_. Languages are very important to me, I don't want to seem as if I'm flippantly copy-pasting things from the internet without respecting them enough to study them, even if they're a relatively small part of the story. Every bit of the story is important. Thank you for your understanding, and I'll be more careful with these in the future!))


	12. Chapter 12

As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow #22**

 _Cha mhisde sgeul mhath aithris da uair._

A good tale is not the worse of being told twice.

 **12-**

Hazel finished packaging the herbs that she'd been preparing and invited Genis to sit down at the table in the middle of the kitchen. He did so warily, but by this point he was too curious to back out. Hazel served him a cup of tea and then poured one for herself. He wanted some sugar and cream, but she didn't seem to be forthcoming with it, and he was too timid to ask, so he settled for his tea the way it was.

"I want to thank you for earlier- what you said, I mean," Hazel began. She sat down and tugged her scarf off of her head again. "Since you're one of Master Zelos' friends, I just assumed that you were human."

Genis tried his best not to make a face at the bitter taste of the tea. "D-does Zelos know?"

"Know what?"

"That you're a half-elf."

Hazel nodded. "Master Zelos hired me _because_ I am a half-elf."

"Zelos did?!"

She closed her eyes and took a sip of tea, seemingly unfazed by the taste. "When he began searching for a caretaker for his sister, Master Zelos had two stipulations. One, he didn't want a male caretaker, lest they fall in love with his precious sister, and two, he didn't want a human caretaker, lest they look down on Seles for her half-elf blood." She sighed. "He got what he wanted on at least one account, I suppose."

"One…" Genis' breath caught in his throat. "Wait. You and Seles are...?"

Hazel looked down at the table again. "It would be so much easier if it were unrequited. Seles is my mistress, I her servant. My feelings are a flagrant defiance of my station, and are something I should never divulge to anyone, least of all my mistress. I never planned to say anything. But she..."

"Seles confessed her love for you, didn't she?" Genis gasped. "And you replied honestly."

"Master Zelos can never know!"

"Why not?"

"B-because I'm a half-elf! It's one thing to have a half-elf caring for his sister, but if Master Zelos knew that his sister and a half-elf were together romantically, he..." She shook her head. "I'm just afraid that he'd make it so that we couldn't be together. He could fire me and prevent me from seeing Seles ever again. It would hurt me, and worse still, it would hurt Seles. Master Zelos loves her so much, he's willing to sacrifice her emotions for her safety if he feels it's the right thing for her. That's something I'm still struggling with. That's why I want to keep her from going to Flanoir. I want her safe."

"I see."

"I want to protect Seles, no matter how she or I might feel about it. I want to be more like Master Zelos."

There was a period of silence. Genis' head was spinning. He was about to open his mouth to say something, but before he could, a quiet voice from the hallway broke in.

"Is that how you really see me? The same way Zelos sees me?"

Hazel jumped to her feet. "M-mistress! I thought Tokunaga was keeping an eye on you while you were-"

"I asked him where I could find you, and he said you were in the kitchen." Seles' voice was shaky, but her shoulders were hunched and her mouth was turned up into a scowl. "I thought, when we told each other how we felt, that you saw me as an equal. I asked you not to think of me as your mistress anymore, and you promised."

"O-of course I see you as an equal. Seles, I-"

"No! You and my brother are the same! All you see me as is something fragile that needs protecting!"

"That's not true, Seles!"

Genis' face went pale. He'd somehow found himself in the middle of a lovers' spat and he wanted out. But would it be rude to run? Maybe if he was subtle about it-

"Now, ladies, let's be civil about this. Mistress Seles, you know that neither your brother nor your nurse consider you fragile. They both care deeply for you and wish for you to be in good health. But at the same time, Miss Hazel, you should think about Mistress Seles' feelings before you make decisions like this. Without assuring her happiness, what good is assuring her safety?"

Both Hazel and Seles shrunk back at the sight of the man in the doorway. "S-Sebastian..." Hazel stammered. "How much did you overhear?"

"I hear everything that goes on in this house. Just ask Master Zelos."

"So you knew about...?"

"About the two of you? It's been obvious for quite some time, Mistress Seles."

"Does Master Zelos know?" Hazel choked.

"Not to my knowledge. I assume he would have approached you about it if he did. But he's an intelligent and perceptive man. How much longer did you hope to keep things from him?"

Both girls looked down at their feet. They were both too embarrassed to say anything. Genis cleared his throat uncomfortably and inched back toward the door.

"I'm, uh, going to head back to the guest quarters..."

Sebastian nodded in his direction. "Thank you for your patience, Mister Sage. If you would, could you avoid gossip? The Wilder family has enough to worry about at the moment."

* * *

"...Beverly... Betty... Bethany..."

"...no... no... no..."

"...Bess... Bermuda..."

"...no... no..."

Lloyd and Ida were sprawled out on the floor, Lloyd with his face practically buried in the book. His previous enthusiasm had dwindled, and he was now practically groaning the names as he read them. Ida was distracted, drawing pictures and only paying half attention to what Lloyd was saying, so Sheena wasn't sure if she was really considering the names the way she should be. Sheena cleared her throat, noticing the time that was displayed on the clock in the corner of the room.

"It's getting late. We should probably call it a night. Nothing's going to come of running ourselves ragged like this-"

"No! I have a good feeling about this one!" Lloyd interrupted her, placing his finger on a random part of the page. "Belinda!"

Ida closed her eyes and thought it over for a moment.

"No."

Lloyd groaned and collapsed onto the floor again. "I give up. That's too many names for me. I'm just going to fall asleep right here."

Both Sheena and Ida sat down beside him, but their responses were completely different.

"Don't sleep on the floor, Lloyd," Sheena began. "Your back and neck are going to be sore tomo-"

"It's okay. Just let him rest here for now." Ida scooted closer to Lloyd, reaching out to run a hand through his hair gently. "You two have been working so hard for me. I'm sorry I haven't identified a name yet."

"Don't worry about it," Sheena responded. "Like you said, it might be best to let your memories come back naturally. We just want to help all we can."

Neither Ida nor Lloyd responded with anything more than a smile. Lloyd's eyes were closed with a look reminiscent of a dog being petted. Ida, on the other hand, had fallen into a daze. As though by some instinct, she began humming a tune under her breath. It was beautiful, though Sheena didn't recognize it. Lloyd, however, had a different reaction.

"Ida, where'd you learn that song?"

"Hmm?" She stopped humming and opened her eyes. "I don't know. I just... know it."

"Do you know the words?"

"It has words?"

Lloyd sat up, tidying his hair. "Its a lullaby. I don't know the name, but I know it's one that my mother used to sing to me. I remember some of the words."

"Can you sing it to me? Maybe I'll be able to remember too."

Lloyd didn't have a particularly appealing voice, but he could sing on-key and enunciate his words well, so he had no qualms about singing in front of others. He took a deep breath and started to sing quietly at first, and then growing louder as he reached the chorus and grew more sure of the words.

" _Sailing though a night sky filled with starlight, and descending gently to the rolling sea_ _… now my only guides-_ "

He wasn't able to pinpoint the moment that Ida joined him. In his mind, as he sang, he heard the memory of his mother's voice- or so he thought. But when he cut off, he realized that the voice singing with him was real, and Ida was continuing the song from where he'd left off. She had a lovely voice, airy and soft, almost like... no, _exactly_ like...

"- _are the ripples of blue, skies of starlight, and the echoing sound of the tides_ _… calling out through the darkness to me…_ "

"Ida, wait."

She stopped. "Did I get the words wrong? I'm not even sure what I'm singing-"

"No. It's not that." Lloyd shook his head. "I just... I need quiet for a moment. Let me think."

Sheena frowned. "Is something-"

"Let me think!"

Lloyd didn't generally snap like that, so it was surprising to both of the girls. They waited patiently as Lloyd pressed his fingers to his temples, his eyes closed tightly.

Suddenly, he leapt to his feet. "I just forgot something I needed to talk to Genis about! I'll be back!"

"Lloyd!" Sheena reached for him, but she wasn't fast enough to stop him before he bolted out the door. "What the hell was that about? That idiot- if it was that important, why didn't he remember it earlier?"

Ida shrugged. "Maybe the song made him remember it."

"Maybe. But I can't see what he would have to talk to Genis about now. They were together most of the day." Sheena stood up and walked over to the window, tugging the curtains open so that she could get a better idea of the time. "Unless it's something that he doesn't want the two of us to know about."

Ida frowned. "Lloyd and Genis wouldn't hide stuff from us, would they-"

Her sentence was cut off by the simultaneous sounds of the door opening and someone speaking.

"Hey, what's up with Lloyd? Did something happen?" Genis closed the door behind him after he entered. "I tried to ask him why he was running, but he didn't even stop. He just waved as he went past. Any idea where he's going?"

Sheena and Ida glanced at each other.

"Actually, he said that he was going to talk to you-" Ida began, but she was cut off as Sheena scrambled to her feet and started towards the door.

"I'll go find him. If something's wrong, he shouldn't be running off like this."

Neither Genis nor Ida objected as Sheena closed the door behind her, running off down the hallway and muttering something under her breath about "that idiot..."

* * *

"...Seles' mother was put on trial and executed for her crime, of course. Poor Seles didn't understand- she was too young at the time. Her mother, while a wicked and twisted woman, had loved Seles dearly. She'd shown her daughter nothing but kindness. Seles couldn't have known..."

Colette reached over to where Zelos was sitting next to her, grasping his hands in hers. "I had no idea. I didn't know about any of this."

"I don't talk about my mother much." Zelos shook his head. "Sheena knows, and I've told Lloyd, but besides that, you're my only close friend who knows the whole story."

"Zelos... thank you." Colette pulled her scarf closer around her neck. "Thank you for telling me. I can understand now why you... feel the way you do about the snow. I'm sorry for getting upset with you about it."

"You don't have to apologize. You couldn't have known."

"I know, but... no matter whether it was intentional or not, it hurt you. I'm sorry for- er, I mean, it's not that, uh-"

"It's okay. I accept your apology." Zelos reached out and took her hand. "I said that you didn't have to apologize. It doesn't matter to me. But if apologizing makes you feel better, then you should apologize to your heart's content."

Colette frowned in confusion. "Are you sure? Everyone says that I apologize too much. Sometimes I can't help it, but I'm still trying to get better at not apologizing over silly little things-"

"Absentmindedly apologizing over everything is the result of growing up with high expectations placed on you from a young age," Zelos interrupted.

"Really?"

"Yeah. It's a coping method, and it eventually becomes second nature, especially when you feel like people around you are unhappy."

The two had been stopped at an overlook along the trail as they talked, so Zelos pulled on Colette's hand to drag her with him as he continued.

"Getting mad at you over it only makes things worse. You keep working on it, but in the meantime, how about I promise that I'll never get mad at you for apologizing? I'll forgive you every time, I promise."

The quiet that followed was swallowed up by a gust of wind that battered the mountainside. Colette used her free hand to pull her scarf up over her nose, but she made sure to keep hold of Zelos' hand with the other, nodding her head at him with a grateful smile.

He couldn't see her mouth with the scarf like it was, but the glimmer in her eyes made it clear that she was smiling. She had the most beautiful blue eyes; Zelos' mind couldn't help jumping back to a passage he'd written in his and Seles' last novel... something about a pair of kind blue eyes that held within them the warmth of a fire in the hearth, the comfort of a hot cup of tea, the solace of a loving embrace-

Damn, was he really breaking out the metaphors?

He was in deep. Gods help him.

"N-now that the wind is blowing up the mountain, we should catch it!" Zelos raised his voice so that he could be heard. A pair of orange wings appeared behind his back, glowing softly in the night air. "Let's go up to the summit!"

"Won't it be dangerous with the wind like it is?" Colette yelled back, trying to keep her hair from blowing in her face.

"Just keep holding onto my hands! Don't let go!"

"Okay!"

If someone had been watching from far away, they might have been able to spot a pair of glimmering wings, pink and orange, floating up the side of the mountain, following the air currents and rising to the summit station.

But no one was looking.

* * *

Lloyd had retreated to one of the balconies off the main hallway. He was standing over the railing overlooking the courtyard, but his head was bowed. Sheena slipped out the open door without making any noise, and she saw him jump as she spoke up.

"Lloyd?"

He was surprised by the sound of her voice, but he didn't look up or say anything.

"Lloyd, are you okay?" She stepped against the railing so that she could stand beside him.

"...I can't remember..."

"You can't remember if you're okay?"

"...I can't remember her voice..."

It was then that Sheena realized he was tightly clutching the hand with his exsphere. She gasped.

"Your mother's?"

Lloyd nodded.

"I don't understand. You said that you remember her singing that lullaby, didn't you?"

"I do... I did... but..." Lloyd tightened his grip on the railing. "I could hear her voice in my head when I was singing, but once Ida started singing, I just sort of lost it. All I can hear is Ida's voice. When I try to recall my mom's voice, her singing, the way she used to talk to me, I just can't. It was already fuzzy in my mind, but now it's gone. I just hear Ida."

There was silence. Sheena shifted her weight, trying to figure out what to say. Before she could speak up- before she could even decide what to say- Lloyd spoke up again.

"Ida looks like my mom too. Kratos said that... if I didn't do something, mom's soul would be lost. I didn't think it was true. I didn't understand how that could be possible. But now it almost seems like Ida is erasing my memories of mom and replacing them with herself. If I let her stay, will she keep erasing my mother's memories from my mind?" Lloyd's voice cracked as he grew more and more distressed. "Will I forget that I even had a mother? If I can't even remember mom, will I be able to use my exsphere? And what'll happen to Kratos? Will he forget mom too? Is that why he was so insistent that I-"

"Lloyd, quit it. You're not making sense."

"I know, but I can't help worrying! It's awful! I could never do anything to hurt Ida... but if I don't... if I lose my memories... then mom will..."

"Lloyd, Lloyd, stop!" Sheena grabbed his hands and turned him around to face her. "Are you even listening to yourself? This is nonsense!"

Lloyd was quiet a moment. He stared at Sheena as he caught his breath, not even bothering to move away. "What do you mean?"

"What do I mean? I mean think about what you're saying!" Sheena shot back. She released his hands and took a step away. "You're the one who told me that, no matter what happens to them, the people we love never really leave us. Don't you remember? When you comforted me after Corrine sacrificed himself? You told me what Colette said about praying to the goddess inside yourself. You have your mother's exsphere so that you'll never forget her. Use it."

"You mean..." Lloyd looked down at his hand. "...pray to mom's exsphere?"

Sheena nodded, reaching into the hem of her robe to retrieve something. "Yes. And- hold out your hands."

Lloyd did so in silence and was surprised as he felt Sheena place something small and metallic into his hand. It made a jingling noise as he pulled his hand back, and he knew what it was before he even looked.

"Corrine's...?"

"You need Corrine's help now more than I do," Sheena whispered. "Take care of it for me. Pray to him, and to your mother. Ask them to give you the wisdom to know the right thing to do."

Lloyd took a deep breath and closed his hands around the bell. "...thank you, Sheena. You're right- I'm getting too worked up over this. If I let myself panic, I might do something I'd regret. I won't let that happen. I'll pray to Mom and Corrine."

Sheena was going to say something else, but Lloyd suddenly wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her close to his chest, and she totally forgot what she had been considering saying. It didn't matter at that point. She looped her arms around his chest in response, and the message that she'd wanted to convey was made clear.

They stayed there for a brief moment before separating, each taking a step back. Sheena cleared her throat awkwardly, but Lloyd didn't seem quite as fazed by what had just happened.

"Sheena, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure. What is it?"

Lloyd glanced away. "When all of this is over, and things go back to normal... I was wondering... would you go eat lunch with me at the Elephant Room cafe?"

Sheena had honestly not expected that response. "What?"

"W-well- earlier today you said that it was impolite to schedule a date without asking the other person. So that's what I'm doing."

"You're-?"

Lloyd bowed. With his head facing the floor, he made sure to raise his voice so that she could hear him, but ended up yelling a bit more loudly than he'd anticipated.

"I'M ASKING YOU TO GO ON A DATE WITH ME."

"L-Lloyd, not so loud!" Sheena grabbed the back collar of his shirt and pulled him back up. "What are you doing, trying to wake the whole manor?"

"I just wanted to make sure you could hear me."

"You idiot, I can hear you just fine-" Sheena's voice cut off. "I mean, of course I can hear you. And yes, of course I'll go on a date with you."

"Really? Oh, Shee-"

"But only after everything's calmed down and things have gone back to normal. A-alright?"

Lloyd hugged her again. "Sure! Whatever you say!"

"...you really are an idiot..."

That was what Sheena said, but she was smiling nonetheless.


	13. Chapter 13

As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow #40:  
** _Cha robh dithis riamh a_ _' fadadh teine nach do las eatarra.  
_ When two kindle a fire, they kindle a relationship.

 **13-**

The wind got stronger the further up the mountain Colette and Zelos traveled, and by the time they made it to the summit station, they'd been almost knocked out of the sky more times than they wanted to admit. Still, they hadn't gotten separated from one another, which was impressive by itself, and the chance to take shelter under the eaves of the station cabin, out of the wind, was cause for a celebration.

"I can't believe we're so high up! It was like you could see the whole world from up in the air!" Colette pulled her scarf from around her neck and shook it out to dislodge the ice crystals that had settled there during their flight. "Well, we could… until the clouds blocked our view."

"You're not feeling dizzy, are you?" Zelos leaned against one of the posts, trying to regain his balance. "I forgot, altitude sickness can be dangerous in situations like this."

"I feel fine. Are you okay?" Colette raised a hand to his forehead. "Do you need to rest? If you want, I could carry you back down-"

"No need! I-I'm fine, really!" Zelos spluttered in reply, stepping away. "The air's just kinda thin up here. Let's go inside and warm up a little. We can't stay too long, since it looked like there was a storm coming in, but it's too cold to stay out here much longer without a break."

Colette nodded and followed him in, calling out to make sure there weren't any climbers taking shelter in the hut. Met by nothing but the sound of the building creaking against the wind, the two settled in and made themselves comfortable.

"I've never flown in wind like that before," Colette spoke as she began a fire in the hearth. "It felt like it was blowing from more than one direction at once."

"It might've been," Zelos replied, sitting down beside her and removing his coat. "This is the tallest mountain in the area. Mountains like that act as a barrier, preventing air from moving past. The blocked air flows up the sides. It makes flying around a mountain like this a real hassle, especially in something like a Rheiard." With a sigh, he set his coat aside and lay down on the floor, letting his hair pool under his head. It took him just a moment to think about it, however, and he jumped back up with a start. "My hair! It must be such a mess!"

Colette giggled as she watched him fish a comb from his coat pocket and begin trying to wrangle his unruly mess of hair. "You look fine, Zelos. The windblown look suits you."

He stopped combing long enough to look back at her. "Would you believe that you're not the first person who's told me that?"

"Well, it does. And anyway, what's the point in combing it now if it's just going to get blown around again on our way down?"

"You do have a point," Zelos sighed. "I'm not looking forward to that. And they say that flying is like making love… hah! That's a load of crap."

"Hm?" Colette turned away from the fire. "Who says that?"

"Oh, uh…" Zelos shrugged and rolled his eyes. "Psychologists or something. They talk about dream symbolism or whatever… say that the feelings you get are the same. Haven't you ever heard that? No matter what the so-called _experts_ say, I don't think it's the same at _all_."

"Is that so…?" Colette murmured, looking up at the ceiling. "I don't know. In my experience, I think they're actually very similar."

Zelos' comb caught on a knot in his hair as he choked. That was the last thing he'd expected to hear from _Colette_ of all people. "Your _experience?!_ " he spluttered.

"Is something wrong?"

"N-no, not at all." Zelos turned again, trying to make himself look distracted by his hair. "I'm just, uh, curious. Please, elaborate."

Colette thought it over briefly. "Well, it's kind of scary at the beginning when you think about it. You don't really know what's going on or how you're supposed to react to it. There's a lot of uncertainty, and it's scary to think that you might get hurt."

"O…kay…" Zelos responded, his expression still blank. "I, uh, never thought about it that way…"

 _If someone hurt her, gods help me, I will kick his ass so hard-_

"But it's not all bad!" Colette waved her hands and jumped to her feet. "In the end, no matter what happens, it changes the way that you look at the world! You start to realize what's most important to you, what you want to protect." She pulled her hands in close to her heart, closing her eyes gently. "Things that you thought were big and important suddenly look so small… and yet, things you thought were small and unimportant become more special than you ever imagined. Everything changes when you see it from a different perspective. Isn't that right?"

Zelos had stopped combing his hair by this point. He was pretty sure that he looked like a fool, staring at her with his mouth agape, but he was still trying to figure out what in the world she was talking about.

"…what kind of mind-blowing sex are you having, and how can I get in on that?"

Colette blinked a few times in confusion. "What?"

"What?"

"Um…" Colette glanced around uneasily. "I'm sorry, I thought we were talking about… I mean… you said that flying is like _falling in love_ , so…"

The silence that followed didn't last long, cut short by the sound of Zelos' laughter.

"AHAHAHAHA- OH, GODS, YOU'RE- HA!- YOU'RE KIDDING ME-"

He was practically rolling on the floor with laughter, unconcerned that he was undoing all of the hard work that he'd been putting into combing his hair. Colette watched with a frown, shoulder hunched as she frantically tried to figure out where she'd gone wrong.

"…wh-what did I say…? Did I say something wrong? Zelos? I don't understand-"

"No." Zelos was still struggling to keep his composure, but he managed to sit up enough to reach out and grab Colette's hand. He tugged gently, inviting her to sit down beside him, and when she did, he placed an affectionate hand on top of her head. "No, you didn't say anything wrong. What you said just took me off-guard. It was so very… _you_."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"Of course not." Zelos took his hand off her head and crossed his arms. "I was laughing because you misheard me. I didn't say _falling in love_ , I said- uh, something else. But maybe you have a point."

"You think so?" Colette smiled and scooted closer to him. "Have you ever fallen in love, Zelos?"

He flinched instinctively. "Whoa, now! That's kind of a loaded question, don't you think?"

"I guess you're right. I'm sorry. It's just that you said you agreed with me, so…"

There was silence for a moment. Zelos noticed that the fire was beginning to die down, so he leaned over to where the wood supply was stacked and placed another piece of fuel into the hearth. "To be perfectly honest," he began, "up until very recently, I didn't really think that falling in love was an actual thing that happened to people. I didn't think it was real."

"Not real?" Colette tilted her head. "I don't understand. You and Seles have written all those wonderful romance novels, and she says that you handle all the character relationships-"

"Yeah, but that's fiction," Zelos replied. "Anything can happen in those kinds of books. I read a lot of trashy romance as a kid, so I always just kinda assumed it was made-up." He shrugged and looked away. "Only now realizing that there's a reality to it… I guess it's kind of caught me off-guard. That's why I agreed with you. What you said about being confused and nervous, it makes sense."

"Then you're in love with someone now?" Colette slid closer, trying to get him to look back at her. "Who is it?"

"I'm not going to tell you that!" Zelos responded with a huff. "It's embarrassing!"

Colette laughed. "No, it's not! There shouldn't be anything embarrassing about being in love. It's a special feeling."

"But I don't want her to find out. What if she doesn't feel the same way? What if she thinks I'm being weird- or worse, _pities_ me? Unrequited love isn't cool for either person involved. It's uncomfortable and makes things awkward. And Zelos Wilder doesn't do awkward." He finally looked back at her. "Get it?"

"Yes, I suppose I do." Colette rested her hands in her lap. "But I still think you should say something to her. You're a good person, Zelos. If you make your honest feelings known, I'm sure she'll understand them and reciprocate them."

"You really think so?" Zelos raised an eyebrow. "How can you be so sure?"

"Because you're _you,_ Zelos." Colette smiled brightly. "Maybe I can't say for sure. I can't speak for someone else. But if it were me, I know that, if someone like you cared so much about me, I couldn't help but feel the same."

Zelos bit his lip. She looked so earnest. "If it were you…" he murmured softly. "You say that like you really believe it's someone else."

"Hm?" Colette's smile disappeared and she tilted her head. "What do you mean by that?"

He sighed and leaned in a little closer. For once he was able to smile, not a fake smile or condescending smirk, but a true, genuine smile. "Why don't you tell me?"

A moment passed in which she stared at him, her expression completely blank. A frown of confusion passed briefly over her features before they suddenly lit up in realization. She didn't reply with words, but she raised one hand and pointed a finger toward herself, her eyes widening in search of confirmation.

Words felt awkward when even Colette couldn't find them. Zelos just nodded.

The fire was still glowing in the hearth, the same as it had been, but the room suddenly felt smaller and warmer. A mix of emotions played out over Colette's face, and Zelos found himself holding his breath as he waited for a response.

"…Zelos… haha… oh, Zelos!"

It was her turn to laugh at him. He stiffened a little, hearing her laughter, but she clarified herself before he had the chance to worry.

"I'm sorry, Zelos. I don't mean to laugh. I'm just so… so _happy_. Hearing you say that makes me so happy. _You_ make me so happy." She wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his chest. "I love you too, Zelos!"

His whole composure just seemed to collapse at that moment. Zelos wrapped his own arms around Colette's shoulders and pulled her in tightly.

 _How can someone who never should_ _'ve been born be so lucky?_

"Listen, Colette, I…" Zelos pulled away so that he could speak with her face to face. "…I can't throw the L-word around as easily as you do. I have a lot of experience with girls, but no experience with love. I still don't know what it all means. So let's not get ahead of ourselves."

"I understand. Sorry, I was just caught up in the moment." Colette was still smiling, but as she spoke, she wiped the edges of her eyes.

"Are you crying?"

"Just a little. But they're happy tears." Colette took a deep breath and opened her eyes again. "And maybe just a little bit of altitude sickness."

"Yeah, I know what you're saying. I think the lack of oxygen is starting to get to me. This is the most sappy shi- _stuff_ I've ever said in one sitting." Zelos scratched the back of his head. He stood up, unsteady on his feet, having to place a hand against the wall to regain his balance. "How about we get back to the lodge before we start saying or doing things we'd regret, huh?"

Colette giggled. "I can't think of anything I'd regret doing as long as I'm doing it with you."

 _Oh boy, I can think of quite a few_ _…_

Zelos tapped her on the forehead, grinning back. "I think that's the oxygen deprivation talking, my dear. You know what's something that definitely won't leave regrets? Drinking hot cocoa by a warm fireplace. Let's fly ourselves back to the lodge and have some before calling it a night. Agreed?"

She reached out and took the hand that Zelos had offered. "That sounds good to me."

The cabin fell silent again as they made sure to put the fire out completely and tidy up the room. As Zelos stirred the coals, looking for any remaining embers, he cleared his throat and spoke again.

"Um, Colette- can I ask you a favor?"

"Of course! What is it?" She turned to face him, but he didn't do the same for her, keeping his focus on the hearth.

"It's awkward to say so, but I know that, if anyone will understand, it's you." He sighed, closing his eyes. "I really, really want to be _Zelos_ for you."

"Huh?"

"Everybody has always seen me as The Chosen. It's always The Chosen this and The Chosen that. I want to be sure that you see me as… well, not as The Chosen. I want to know what I can do so that you see me as Zelos."

Colette walked up beside him and placed her hand over his that was holding the fire poker. "I've _always_ seen you as Zelos. The Chosen is _what_ you are. Zelos is _who_ you are. As long as it's us, neither one of us has to be The Chosen anymore. We can just be Zelos and Colette. I promise."

"Promise, huh?" Zelos laughed. "Funny- much as I like girls, I've never been very keen on making them any promises. But if it's you… I'm sure I can promise you that."

* * *

It wasn't all that late yet, but as dark as it was, the trailhead on the mountainside was deserted. Yuan had stopped to take some astronomical readings, and Kratos was watching him as he fiddled with his equipment and made scribbled markings in his notebook. Their manner of dress wasn't strange, but Kratos knew that they might appear suspicious to the right person, so he was keeping a careful watch on the trail. The sound of footsteps from around the bend caught his ear- still far away, but approaching.

"Yuan, there's someone coming."

"I _know_ that. I can hear."

"It's a male gait, and he seems to be using a walking stick of some kind. He's alone. I don't want your torture devices to scare him into causing a panic."

Yuan grumbled, more to himself than in response to Kratos' statement though he knew that Kratos could hear him anyway. "…it's _not_ a torture device… it's a mariner's astrolabe…"

When the young man finally came around the corner, Kratos tried to step off the path to avoid catching his eye. Perhaps the hiker wouldn't pay them any mind and continue on back toward the lodge. However, that didn't happen.

"You're here… oh, I knew you would come! I knew it!"

Much to the men's confusion, the hiker ran up to them with a smile on his face. His boots crunched through the snow awkwardly, and he had to pause to regain his balance once he reached them. Kratos exchanged a puzzled look with Yuan, and the latter spoke up. "I'm sorry, uh, can we help you?"

"It's me," the hiker replied, "Brother Orrison, the Chosen of the Great Divine. I've been anxiously awaiting your arrival. You're the angels who are to assist with the End of Nights, aren't you?"

A tense silence followed, broken only by the sound of the wind blowing powdered snow across the mountainside. Yuan was the first to speak again, but before he could get more than four words out, Kratos interrupted him.

"I think you're mis-"

"Yes. You've done well to recognize us, Chosen one." Kratos took a step toward Orrison, nodding his head. "We are anxious to know how we may be of service to you."

Orrison gasped and waved his free hand in front of his face. "Service? Don't talk like that! Once I get my Cruxis Crystal, we'll be equals."

"Equals, you say?" Kratos answered, trying to hide his frown of disbelief. "And where do you-"

"Have you gathered the exspheres?" Yuan cut him off, stepping in front of him. Kratos didn't care for being interrupted, but he was glad to see Yuan playing along.

Orrison nodded respectfully. "Yes sir. I've gathered as many as I could, just as the prophet instructed me."

"And where are they now? We must retrieve them at once."

"We can't! Not yet! I'm not yet an angel!" Orrison pleaded, digging his staff into the snow as he spoke. "I'll have my crystal by tomorrow at sunrise. Please wait until then for me. We'll retrieve the exspheres together."

Kratos and Yuan exchanged a glance. "Fair enough," Kratos answered. "Where shall we meet you?"

"There is a mountain hut at the sixth camp, just up the trail from here. Wait for me there- I'll be there before sunrise."

Yuan nodded. "We will."

The two watched as Orrison continued down the mountain trail, heading back toward the resort area. The wind was picking up and the sky was being obscured by clouds that were growing steadily darker. Half of the mountain was already covered, and neither Kratos nor Yuan wanted to stick around to get caught in the ensuing snowstorm.

There were more important things to worry about, however.

"I can't believe it. That was so easy," Yuan breathed. "He's just going to trust us like that? Show us to the exspheres without a second thought?"

"I don't like it," Kratos replied. "He's spewing so much nonsense- prophets, Great Divine, Chosen, End of Nights- and yet he knows about Cruxis Crystals. Who's been giving him this information?"

Yuan shrugged. "Does it matter right now? He trusts us, so we can put a stop to whatever's going on before anything major happens."

"It won't be so easily done if he becomes an angel."

"What do you mean by that? It's not like he's actually going to _find_ a Cruxis Crystal." Yuan rolled his eyes. "They don't just grow on trees. We know every person who has one."

Kratos sighed. "That's true, but that's what concerns me even more. You heard how certain he was that he'd obtain one by sunrise. How could he be that certain unless he'd already located someone who could provide him with what he seeks?"

Yuan stiffened in realization. "You don't mean… he's trying to pawn a Cruxis Crystal from one of the real Chosens? That Wilder brat would never give his up, especially to a lunatic like that-"

"I know. But you and I also know that, if Orrison were to say the right things, there's a Chosen who might."

Yuan scowled. "Yeah, but what are the odds that she's all the way out here? Doesn't she live in Sylvarant? You said she's always hanging out with Lloyd-"

"Yes," Kratos answered. "That's what worries me the most."

The wind along the mountainside began to die down, allowing a hollow silence to fall over the landscape. The distance cracking and popping of alpine glaciers echoed off the sheer cliffs of the mountains, and Yuan pulled his coat more tightly around him as he started back down the path.

"Let's follow him, then. There's no time to waste."


	14. Chapter 14

As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow #48**

 _Cha d_ _èanar sagart gun fhoghlam, 's cha dèan foghlam sagart_.  
A priest should be learned, but learning won't make a priest.

 **14-**

Sometime during the night, Zelos awoke to the sound of the suite door shutting and locking. It was dark and he was groggy, but the noise had caught his attention, and so he sat up to investigate. "…Colette?"

A glance over to the opposite bed where he'd last seen her turned up empty. There did, however, seem to be a note. With a groan, he pulled himself to his feet and picked it up, turning on the nearby lamp so that he could read it over.

 _Zelos, I was too excited to sleep, so I went outside to enjoy the snow before it turns into a blizzard. I_ _'ll be back soon. Colette._

Aw, it was signed with a heart. Wasn't that cute?

Zelos couldn't help a smile as he set the note back down on the table and turned out the light once again. The two of them had made it back to the hotel just before the snow had begun. With it promising to turn into a bad storm as the night wore on, Zelos had become worried about their reconnaissance mission that was planned for the next morning. Would they be able to confront an enemy in a storm like that? He knew that it had to be done, with the comet just hours away from lighting the sky and drawing sightseers from all over, so there wasn't much of a choice. But until they needed to leave, he'd enjoy staying in his warm bed.

By the time he'd snuggled back under all the blankets, he'd fallen into a stupor again. It took him a short while before realizing that someone was knocking at the door. At first he thought it might be someone with the wrong room, who'd turn away and leave once they realized that they weren't being let in. But no, the knocking continued.

"…Colette?" Zelos murmured, yawning and sitting up. No- it couldn't be her. She had a key. And besides that, she was too polite to keep knocking like that. Even if she knew he was asleep, she'd wait patiently. Whoever this was, they certainly weren't patient.

Zelos opened the door, prepared to shoo away a confused guest who was at the wrong room, possibly coming up drunk from the bar. It _was_ that time of night, after all. But he found that wasn't the case at all.

"Sorry, I think you have the wron- _oh._ Orrison? What the hell are you doing here? It's late- or early, I guess."

The priest bowed apologetically. "I'm so, so sorry to have to bother you at this hour. I didn't mean to wake you or your sister."

"You're fine. She's actually out at the moment."

"Out?"

"To go look at the snow before the storm picks up. She really likes the stuff."

Orrison frowned. "I didn't realize. I had hoped to speak to both of you. I need to ask you two a favor."

There was genuine nervousness in the man's eyes, and much as Zelos wanted to get back to sleep, he didn't want to kick Orrison out. Besides, he knew that if he denied Orrison help while Colette was out, he'd never hear the end of it from her. "It's cold out, and the wind is picking up, so she shouldn't be long. Come in and sit down." Zelos motioned him inside. "You look totally stressed. What's going on, bud?"

Orrison followed Zelos inside and sat down on one of the chairs near the radiator. "I'm stressed, yes, but it's a good kind of stress. All the work I've been doing for the past two years is all coming to fruition, just as the prophet said it would. And now I just have one final step before I can finally end the world. The End of Nights… it's really happening."

Zelos was sure that there was a look of utter disbelief on his face, but he tried to mask it for Orrison's sake. He was becoming more and more convinced that this guy needed some sort of professional help, but that was a tough subject to breach with someone who was already so far gone.

"Let's, uh, back it up for a moment. I know _nothing_ about your whole end-of-the-world-chosen thing. Do you have some kind of backstory?" Zelos perched on the side of the bed facing Orrison. "Who's this prophet you're talking about? Was it this person who told you that you were some kind of _chosen_?"

"No, no." Orrison shook his head. "I received the prophecy only two years ago. It was ten years ago that I was reborn as the chosen of the Great Divine."

" _Reborn_ as the chosen?"

"Well, that is to say, I died and the Great Divine brought me back to life for the purpose of ending the world- ending this horrible age of separation."

Zelos coughed. "You… _died_?"

"Yes."

"And this… divine being… brought you back to life?"

Orrison nodded, gesturing down at his boots. "All but my right foot. That was taken as a reminder of my mission, of the mortality that was sacrificed for the goal that I seek."

"Uh-huh. I see." Zelos was answering numbly, trying to wrap his mind around the utter nonsense that Orrison was giving him. It felt like… a beginner author, introducing their main character for the first time. _This is my character and he_ _'s an UNDEAD WARRIOR-PRIEST, the CHOSEN ONE, the HOLY HARBINGER OF THE APOCALYPSE; DO NOT STEAL._ "So you're, uh, _dead,_ _"_ he finally continued. "How exactly did you die?"

Orrison looked away, suddenly frowning. "…suicide," he murmured.

"Ah." Zelos took a closer look at him, examining his features. Orrison was young- younger than Zelos himself. That was too young. Ten years ago, he would've been just a kid. "You say that was ten years ago… have you aged since then?"

"Yes, of course."

"Then you had to be only…"

"I was eleven years old at the time."

Zelos clutched at the bed sheets, taking in the fact. Orrison's fanciful story could say all it wanted to about gods and the apocalypse. Zelos had faced it all before. But an eleven-year-old boy taking his own life was a different story. Zelos remembered all too well what it was like, being an eleven year old boy with the image of blood seared into his brain and the words _you should have never been born_ constantly ringing in his ears…

"What happened?"

"I lost my family and I didn't know where to go." Orrison shrugged. "My mother died when I was young, but I was lucky enough to have a sister who was ten years older, who was able to raise me." He took off one glove and placed the other hand over the exsphere on his wrist. "My sister, my brother-in-law, and I lived together on a farm in the countryside in Sylvarant. It was a happy life. We were safe there from the Desians and their horrible human ranches. But we still had to go to town to get supplies, and it was dangerous. I accidentally crossed a high-ranking Desian, and when my brother-in-law stood up for me, he was killed as an example for the rest of the townspeople. My sister couldn't take the death of her husband. She was pregnant with their first child at the time, and she got extremely sick and went into labor early. The midwife sent me into town to get some medicine to stop the bleeding, but by the time I came back, the baby and my sister were both dead."

For a moment, Zelos was silent. He couldn't say anything. He wanted to say ' _wow, that sucks,_ _'_ but that sounded too dismissive. He wanted to say _'damn, I would've killed myself too_ ,' but that would probably only make things worse. He wanted to say ' _I know how you feel,_ _'_ but somehow that seemed egotistical. So he was quiet, nodding his head as if to encourage Orrison to continue.

"I ran away into the mountains and took the medicine that was meant for my sister- the whole bottle. A dose that high should have been enough to kill me. But after I blacked out, I could feel… someone shaking me awake. I didn't want to wake up, but they kept shaking me over and over until it hurt. A voice I'd never heard before was calling to me, telling me to wake up, that I had a mission I needed to fulfill. When I opened my eyes, I was in a strange place with lots of colors. It was so beautiful, like everything was spinning and dancing. And in the midst of the colors, I saw what I needed to do." Orrison sighed and turned his attention up to the ceiling. "The next thing I knew, I was alive in a hospital. The healers said that my foot had to be amputated because it turned black or something. I didn't understand it, but I knew what it meant. And that's why I've spent the rest of my life dedicated to ending the world. That's why, when I received the prophecy two years ago, I dropped everything and ran to fulfill it."

"…okay, wow," Zelos murmured. "I've got to admit, that's way more backstory than I expected to get from you. Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I know you'll understand."

"Understand what?"

"The challenges and heartaches that come with being the Chosen."

Zelos stopped suddenly. "What?"

"It must have been hard for you and her… having expectations put on you from such early ages. The whole world was looking at you before you were old enough to understand what was going on. I can't sympathize with that, but I do know what it's like to feel so responsible. It's a heavy burden for anyone to have on their shoulders."

A silence fell over the room. Zelos' breath caught in his throat. "Wait. You…" he breathed. "…you _knew_ …"

Orrison bowed his head. "I'm sorry, Mister Wilder. I assumed that you and Miss Brunel had your reasons for keeping false identities, and I didn't want to make things difficult for you."

"S-so that day at the lake… when you called Colette's name… you knew even _then_?"

"Yes."

"Is that why you befriended us? Why you've come to ask a favor of us like this? Because we're the _Chosens_?!"

"It's not the only reason. You're a kind soul, Zelos. I admire you very much for that." Orrison responded with a shake of his head. "But I also need a favor that only you or Colette can offer me."

Zelos slid back, bracing himself to assume a defensive position if the need arose. "And what, pray tell, is _that_?"

"To end the world, I must become an angel." Orrison held out his hand expectantly. "And according to the prophet, to do that I need a Cruxis Crystal."

* * *

Seles and Ida followed Hazel through the thickening snow flurries into the hotel's lobby. It was late and mostly deserted save for the receptionist who was working the front desk and a couple of people milling about on the staircase. Lloyd, Genis, and Sheena had insisted on searching outside the resort area as best they could before the encroaching storm began in earnest, and sent the others to inquire inside about Zelos and Colette. Seles, though the last in the door, was the first to the desk, and she wasted no time in asking questions.

"Please, I'm Seles Wilder, and I'm searching for my brother. Do you know where Zelos Wilder is staying?"

The receptionist flipped to the back of her record book and thumbed through a few pages before looking back up and shaking her head.

"I apologize, Miss Wilder, but we don't have anyone of that name staying here at this time. Perhaps you're looking for a different resort? There's-"

"No, I'm sure he's here. Perhaps he's using a pseudonym." Seles paused and thought it over for a moment. "Do you know if you have a _Franz Liszt_ staying here?"

The receptionist checked. "We do not."

"A _Scott Joplin?_ "

Once again, the ledger came up empty. "I'm sorry."

"A _Frank Sinatra_?"

"No. Perhaps you should-"

"An _Enrico Caruso?_ "

There was a pause. "…I have a Caruso, party of two, but I don't know-"

"That's them. I'm sure of it." Seles cut her off. "Where are they staying?"

"It says they're in the King Salmon suite, on the fifth floor. But please, I can't have you disturbing guests at this hour. Let me check you in, and you can wait until breakfast to catch up with them."

"I'm not waiting that long. We have to-"

Hazel stepped in before Seles could say anything else. "That's fine. We'll make sure not to disturb anyone. The reservation should be listed under Wilder, party of six. We have three standard rooms reserved."

"Perfect. I'll have your keys ready momentarily."

Seles began to argue, so Hazel pulled her aside before she could say anything. "Seles, _please_. There's no point in making things worse. We'll go speak to Master Zelos as soon as we receive our keys. For now, please don't make a scene."

"She's right," Ida agreed. "I know you're upset, but if you're noisy, people will get suspicious."

Frowning, Seles glanced down at her feet. "I know. I'm sorry. I'm just so angry at my brother… so worried about him… I want to see him. I want to see his face and know he's alright. I… just have such a bad feeling about this…"

Hazel reached out and pulled Seles into a close hug. "It's okay."

Seles enjoyed the closeness for just a moment before pulling away and wiping the edges of her eyes. "Do you think it's alright for people to see us like this?" she whispered, glancing over at Ida, who seemed to be purposefully looking away.

"It's the middle of the night. There's no one awake at this hour."

"I thought I saw some people on the staircase when we came in, though. They're not watching us, are they? Ida?"

"No," Ida answered, glancing in the direction of the staircase for the first time. "They look like they're totally engrossed in their own- HEY! Wait a minute! I _know_ him!"

Before Seles or Hazel could say anything, Ida was already halfway across the lobby, waving her hands and calling out as though she'd forgotten her own warning about being noisy.

"Hey, Mister Kratos! Kratos, it's me! Ida! I can't believe it! What are you doing here?"

Seles and Hazel glanced at one another uneasily. "I've seen that man somewhere before…" Seles murmured under her breath.

"The man with the red hair or the blue?"

"Red hair. But I can't seem to place his face."

"We should go do something." Hazel took Seles' hand and pulled her over toward the staircase. "Lloyd asked us to keep Ida safe, so we can't let her run off talking to strangers."

By the time they made it up to the first landing, Ida had already initiated a conversation with the two men. However, it seemed that the man with the blue hair was doing most of the talking, while the red-head looked away.

"-it's nice to meet you, Miss Ida. I'm Yuan. Kratos and I have been, well, _friends_ for a long time. You could almost say I'm like Lloyd's uncle."

"Really?" Ida looked him over curiously. "Lloyd has never mentioned you."

Yuan's smile turned up at the end, his face taking on a look of irritation. "Never, huh? That's a shame. I thought I was more important to him than tha-"

Kratos stepped out from behind Yuan, pushing the girls aside as he started down the staircase. "You seem to have things under control," he said, nodding in Yuan's direction. "In the meantime, I'm going to go outside and investigate the lake once more. There may be something we overlooked."

"Kratos, wait!" Ida followed after him. "There's a snowstorm brewing outside!"

"I know. I've been studying the weather for some time now. I'll be fine."

"Alone? But it's dangerous!"

"Don't worry. I'm not-"

Before he could make it further down the stairs, Ida ran around him, shedding her bulky coat as she did so. She stepped in front of him, holding out the coat, pushing the red fabric against his chest.

"You're not dressed for the weather. If you're going out, at least take an extra coat."

Kratos glanced down at it, examining the buttons. He hadn't seen it in a long time, but he'd recognize it anywhere. "This is Lloyd's."

"Yes. Lloyd gave it to me to wear when we heard we were going to Flanoir. It's very comfortable. He said it was his favorite before he outgrew it."

There was a pause before Kratos answered.

"I can't wear this."

"But it's so cold out-"

"Ida." Kratos picked up the coat and held it up against his chest, showing how small it was against his muscular frame. "I can't wear this. If _Lloyd_ has grown out of it, do you really expect it to fit _me_?"

"…oh." Ida's face turned bright red and she looked down at her feet. "S-sorry. I don't know what came over me. I just got so worried about you all of a sudden. The wind is getting stronger and visibility is decreasing. Something bad could happen to a person out there and no one would ever know."

"Miss Ida, please. These men seem to know what they're doing." Hazel walked around and grabbed Ida's arm, pulling her back up toward the landing. "It's best if we don't bother them-"

"Actually," Kratos interrupted with a sigh, "if she's so worried about me being alone… she's welcome to come with me."

Ida gasped and clasped her hands together. "Really?"

"I don't think that's a good idea," Hazel began. "Lloyd asked us to look after you, Ida. He'd be angry at us if we let you run off with some strangers-"

"We are _not_ strangers," Yuan jumped in. "I'm sure Lloyd wouldn't mind if his father chaperoned Ida for a while. You don't mind, do you Ida?"

"Not at all!" Ida beamed, hugging Lloyd's coat. "Let's go together!"

Seles made a note of the appearance of the two men. She knew from Colette that Lloyd's biological father was distant, but she wasn't sure how much so. There was enough resemblance that she didn't doubt Kratos' identity, but… she was still unsure.

"It's getting bad out there. Come back as soon as you find what he's looking for," Seles instructed. Ida was busy buttoning up her coat again as she followed Kratos to the front entrance, but she did take the time to stop and wave. Once they disappeared out the main entrance, Yuan started down the stairs.

"Kratos has had his head in the clouds for the past little while," he spoke to Seles and Hazel. "I'm going to tag along just to make sure everything's okay."

"Thank you." Hazel nodded. "Please don't be long."

"We have a meeting to attend in a few hours, so you don't have to worry. I'll make sure this doesn't take long."

* * *

"A Cruxis Crystal…" Zelos murmured, placing a defensive hand over his chest. "You've got to be joking. Where'd you learn about Cruxis Crystals? From this _prophet_ you keep talking about?"

"Of course." Orrison nodded. "He explained to me in detail all about exspheres and Cruxis Crystals, and what I needed to do with them in order to bring about my goal."

Zelos frowned. This was all sounding too strange for his taste, and he was starting to get frightened- for Orrison's sake as well as his own. Using exspheres and Cruxis Crystals to destroy the world? Did that plan have anything to do with…?

"So this plan of yours," Zelos began, clearing his throat. "Does it have anything to do with a converter of some kind?"

"Yes, that's right! That's what I'm going to use to make contact with the comet. It's in storage now, but I'm going to retrieve it this morning when I meet up with the angels that were sent to help me."

Zelos was silent for a moment.

"…sure. I'll give you the Cruxis Crystal. But I want to help as well. Let me get dressed, and I'll go with you to retrieve the converter. We can meet Colette on the way and bring her with us as well."

Orrison clapped his hands. "Oh, _thank you_ , Zelos! I knew I could count on you!"

"Yeah, well… I'm nothing if not accountable." Zelos coughed awkwardly as he made his way over to his belongings, taking his time filing through the closet to find an outfit that would be warm enough for the snowstorm, but comfortable enough to allow him to fight if need be. Satisfied with what he'd chosen, he began talking to Orrison as he changed his outfit. "I do have a question for you. This, uh, prophet of yours… did he tell you how exspheres are formed?"

"Yes." Orrison replied, politely keeping his gaze averted. "Exspheres are made from consuming people's lives. The Desians made exspheres by sacrificing humans. Each exsphere is the product of a human life- a human who was separated from friends and family and people who loved them. They're a mechanism of separation, just like everything else in this world."

"And separation is what you aim to eradicate, right?"

"Yes."

"So… the idea of using something like an exsphere or cruxis crystal to do that doesn't seem counterintuitive to you?"

"Not in the slightest." Orrison shook his head. "Within exspheres are the souls of those who've been separated from those they loved. Using their power to end the world will reunite them with those they've lost. It's the best use of their power possible."

Zelos stepped back over to the chair where Orrison was sitting and tapped him on the shoulder. "So you're sure that you have no reservations about this? None at all? You're not scared about what's going to happen once you've actually destroyed the world?"

"Not at all." Orrison stood up, tapping his chest with a smile. "I've worked so hard for this. I'll finally be able to see my sister and brother-in-law again- and my nephew too! We'll all be a happy family, just like we used to be. Like we were _supposed_ to be. None of the hardships of this world will matter anymore." He reached up toward Zelos' chest. "Now all I need is the cruxis crystal, and-"

"Wait, wait!" Zelos jumped back. "I'll give it to you once we retrieve the converter."

Orrison froze. "Huh? No. I need it now."

The look in his eyes sent Zelos back a few steps, tugging his coat closed defensively. " _Now_? Why? Don't you want to go talk to Colette first? We can then go find the converter, and then teach you how to use the Cruxis Crystal most effectively. Now's not the time and place for-"

"Sorry, Zelos. I do want your help with the converter. But you never know what might happen between now and then. I need it now."

Silence filled the room as Zelos and Orrison stared at one another. Neither one moved at first, trying to assess what the other was going to do. Orrison stepped forward, and Zelos mirrored him with a step backward. A frown fell slowly over the priest's face, and he took a deep breath.

"…Zelos… _Enrico_ _…_ my _friend_ … are you lying to me?"


	15. Chapter 15

As usual, I don't own any thing. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow #11:**

 _Airson breug e a 'coiseachd s_ _ìos an t-slighe de na mèirlich.  
_ Lying is the first step down the path of thievery.

 **15-**

"…Zelos… _Enrico_ _…_ my _friend_ … are you lying to me?"

Zelos didn't move at first. "I do want to help you," he whispered, "but not in the way you-"

" _But!_ " Orrison lunged at Zelos, but he wasn't fast enough to do anything before Zelos' reflexes kicked in and he sidestepped, turning around to catch Orrison in a chokehold. His hand held Orrison's bare wrist tightly, and though the young man squirmed, Zelos' grip was too strong for him to escape.

" _Let me go! You don_ _'t understand! I'm doing this for you- for everyone! I thought you understood! Why are you-"_

"Be quiet for just a second and listen to me!" Zelos yelled, tightening his grip on Orrison's wrist. "I get it. I get wanting everything in the world to end so that you don't have to deal with your problems anymore. For a long time, I would've been happy for the world to be destroyed. But that's not how you face your problems. Separation, grief, suffering… everyone goes through that. If your reaction is to _destroy_ everything and everyone, you're not _healing_. You need _help_."

" _But I have a divine mission! This is for the sake of everyone! I_ _'ve been chosen to-_ "

"Chosen this, Chosen that- I'm _sick_ of hearing it! Don't you think there's a way that you can resolve things without all this sacrifice? I don't think you realize how powerful that converter you've put together is While I don't think it can actually destroy the world, if you try to connect it with the comet's energy, it'll melt down and the ensuing blast will kill everything for miles."

" _It won_ _'t melt down! It'll trigger the End of Nights, just like in my vision!_ "

It was getting harder for Zelos to hold Orrison still. "And what if it doesn't?"

" _It will!_ "

"You're willing to stake thousands of lives on it?"

" _LET ME GO!_ "

Orrison simultaneously kicked Zelos in the shin and bit down on his arm, prompting Zelos to release his grip. However, when he turned back around to grab for Zelos' Cruxis Crystal, his face made an abrupt connection with Zelos' fist.

The punch landed squarely against Orrison's cheekbone, and Zelos felt a sharp pain in his knuckles as he watched Orrison fly backwards. Orrison's head hit the wall behind him, and he fell to the ground, disoriented. The sight made Zelos' stomach lurch. He hadn't meant to _hurt_ Orrison. Not really. He just needed to subdue him enough to talk some sense into him. Nervously, Zelos knelt down next to Orrison and reached out to touch his bruised cheek.

"Oh my gods. I'm _so_ sorry, bud. I didn't mean to deck you like that."

Orrison groaned, shying away from Zelos' hand. "You're… very strong…"

"Let's go downstairs and get you patched up. I'm sure they have a first aid kit at the main desk. Are you a little bit calmer now? Can we talk this through?" Zelos stood up and bent over to offer his hand. Orrison considered it for a moment.

"…I didn't want it to turn out this way…"

He took Zelos' hand.

"…but I guess I have no choice."

Before he could get Orrison back on his feet, Zelos felt a sharp pain in his hand- almost like an electrical shock. It traveled up his arm and hit so powerfully in his chest- right around his key crest- that it knocked the breath out of him. His head went fuzzy and he felt himself fall backwards-

-and the next thing he knew, he hit his head against the wall.

 _He wasn_ _'t standing with his back to the wall!_ As Zelos tried to figure out what had just happened, he became aware of the taste of blood in his mouth. The back of his head was throbbing where he'd hit it against the wall, a sharp metallic pain was pulsing in his wrist, and his left cheek stung as if it had been struck, well, just like he'd struck Orrison's. Painfully, he opened his eyes, but he wasn't prepared for what he saw.

"I can't believe it! So this is what it feels like to be an angel! I feel so powerful, like I can do anything!"

That certainly wasn't Orrison's voice. Was it _his_ voice? Zelos drew in a sharp breath, seeing what seemed like looking in a mirror. But this was no mirror. The perspective was all wrong. What Zelos saw was his own self standing over him, bright orange wings lighting up the room around them. Terrified, he lifted up the arm that was hurting him, trying to see what felt like it was digging into his wrist. Part of his mind already had fears as to what it was, but some part of him still hoped that it wouldn't be-

An exsphere. Orrison's exsphere.

With no key crest to attach it, the green stone was set against his skin. He could feel his heart beating, the blood in his wrist flowing around it. "Orrison…" he managed to speak up, noting the change in his voice "..how did you… what did you…?"

"I'm sorry, Zelos." Orrison knelt down beside him so that they could speak face to face. "I really didn't want it to happen this way. You and Colette are both my friends, and I appreciate all that you've done for me over the past few days. I know that we'll see each other again once the world is destroyed. I'll ask for your forgiveness then."

"G-give me back my body you little-" Zelos lunged for him, but didn't get very far. The dizziness from hitting his head on the wall took over, and he collapsed onto the floor. Orrison picked him up again, placing him into a sitting position.

"I'll take you downstairs, help you get healed up. I'm sure there'll be someone who can bandage your head for you-" Orrison was saying, though Zelos had a hard time hearing him through the haze that he had fallen into. The taste of blood was slowly filling his mouth and it was making him sick to his stomach. There had to be some way to undo this. He just needed time to think… and Orrison wasn't giving him that. "-I'm pretty sure I'm strong enough to carry you if you can't walk yourself. Let me just get that exsphere off you, and we'll go-"

Zelos yelped, jerking his arm away as Orrison tried to grab for it. " _No!_ Y-you… can't…"

His words had no effect on Orrison, who reached out and grabbed Zelos' arm again. "Don't worry. You won't need it."

"B-b-but… there's no key crest!" The shock of the situation was helping to bring Zelos back to consciousness. "If you take it off, then- don't you remember what Colette said?! You can't-"

"Don't worry so much. I'm sure she was exaggerating just to protect me. It may hurt a little, but it can't possibly be that bad." Orrison placed his fingers around the exsphere, his fingernails digging into Zelos' skin as he pulled it off. "You'll be fi-"

Zelos' scream- or, rather, Zelos screaming with Orrison's voice- could be heard up and down the fifth floor hallway.

Orrison tumbled backwards, his wings disappearing. By the time that he managed to pull himself to his feet, he almost got knocked over again by- _what WAS that?!_ A horrible sound erupted from what seemed to be the creature's mouth, and it leapt at him so quickly that he barely had time to get out of the way. He yelped, running as quickly as he could out the door of the suite and slamming it closed behind him. On the other side of the door, he could hear the muffled noise of the creature bashing at the wall and screeching as the door began to crack against its attacks. A group of other guests had begun to gather in the hallway, most of them still half-asleep.

"…Mister Caruso?" a young woman from down the hall spoke up. "It's almost four in the morning. What in the world is going on?"

Before Orrison could get a word out, a piece of the door above him collapsed outward from the force of one of the monster's blows. The creature's screeching suddenly filled the hallway, eliciting horrified screams from the guests. "WE HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE!" Orrison yelled as he took off from his spot at the door, making a mad dash toward the staircase. "COME ON! DON'T LET IT GET YOU!"

The commotion that followed was almost enough to drown out the frenzied screeches of the monster.

Almost.

* * *

By the time that Kratos and Ida reached the edges of the lake, Ida had quieted down from her earlier frenzy, transfixed instead by the scenery around them. Kratos had led the way toward the beginning, but Ida caught up with him at some point, and he found that, no matter how he subtly changed his pace, she never fell behind.

"It's hard to see from here because it's covered in snow," he pointed out from their vantage point on the trail, "but this is the lake."

Ida stepped over to rest her hands on the wall that separated the trail from the embankment. "It's beautiful. I can almost see the mountains behind it. I wonder if, on a clear day in summer, the mountains would be reflected in the lake water."

Kratos watched her from the back, noticing how focused she was on the scenery. His hand reached for the hilt of his sword, but he paused to weigh his options. This wasn't a good spot. Poor as the visibility was, they were at the top of a vantage point that looked out over the area- it was easy to see and be seen. "Ida," he spoke up, "we should go down the trail some to the right. Being in a more heavily forested area will protect us from the wind and snow somewhat."

"Oh! Right!" She twirled around with a smile. "Lead the way, then, Mister Kratos!"

It didn't take long for the two to descend the path further and enter a more wooded part of the trail, along the northern side of the lake. The snow off the trail had piled up, and the falling snow was beginning to accumulate, but for the most part, the path had been beaten down by sled traffic, and it was easy to walk on in normal boots. Ida was practically skipping along beside Kratos. "You know," she began again, "you never told me what we're looking for out here."

"Pardon?"

"You came out here to search for something, right?"

 _Oh, right._

"Yes, well," Kratos cleared his throat awkwardly, trying to think of some excuse other than ' _I was trying to get away from you_.' "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to tell you the truth. Yuan and I are here pursuing a man who has been collecting weapons from around the world. We believe he may be trying to use them in connection with Myrddin's comet, which could… well, it could be a disaster."

"Wow! So you're, like, superheroes!" Ida clapped. "That's so cool! Lloyd said his friend Zelos is here investigating some sort of weapon too. Oh! Maybe it's the same one! You should meet Zelos and find out what he knows!" She jumped up and down a few times and then grabbed Kratos' hand. "Come on! Let's go back to the hotel! Seles said that Zelos is staying there and she's going to meet with him soon-"

"Let's not run off just yet." Kratos yanked his hand away from her and stepped back. He wasn't looking behind him and he blundered into a tree trunk that he was standing near. In response, one of the lower boughs dropped a large pile of snow, much of it landing on Kratos. Ida gasped and ran to his side, working to brush as much of it off him as she could.

"Oh my gosh! Are you okay?"

"F-fine…" Kratos spluttered.

Once Ida was sure that Kratos was unharmed, she couldn't help laughing at his predicament. She knew it was insensitive, but it was so funny! He was usually so stern and serious, and yet here he was, covered from head to toe in snow and completely disoriented. "M-mister Kratos… ahaha… I'm sorry, you just… haha… you look like a snowman… ahahaha…"

Kratos had been brushing the snow off of his shoulders, but as soon as she began laughing, he stopped. His face grew pale and his stomach lurched, a flood of conflicting emotions keeping him from moving or speaking. He knew that laugh; the soft, breathy tones interspersed with hiccup-like noises, the way her nose flared when she smiled too hard, the gentle tilt of her head that caused her hair to fall into her face…

By the time he found his voice again, it had become almost too much to bear.

" _STOP LAUGHING!_ _"_

Ida froze. "I…I'm so sorry… I didn't mean to upset you…" She wrung her hands, glancing around nervously to avoid looking at him. "I'm really sorry."

Kratos turned away. "It's fine. I shouldn't have yelled like that. The wind is picking up, so if you really want to go back, you should. Go on ahead- I'll catch up with you."

"Oh… okay…"

He watched as she turned her back to him and started down the trail. It seemed that her cheerful demeanor had been completely erased by his yelling. Was she really that concerned about how he felt? He needed to end this, _immediately._

Silently, he pulled his sword from its sheath and held it out in front of him. If he struck quickly and accurately, the problem would be solved in a split second, before _Ida_ even knew what was going on. But he only had one shot at that. If he were to slip up, even slightly, she might suffer. That could _not_ happen. He couldn't let that happen. He couldn't…

 _If it's the right thing to do, I could muster the courage to do it. So could you._

That's right. Even in the heat of a fight, Lloyd believed in him. Even after all the things Kratos had done, his betrayals, his distance, his secrets and lies… Lloyd believed in him. Lloyd believed that he was strong enough to do the right thing, no matter how it might hurt him.

And protecting Anna's soul was _definitely_ the right thing to do.

He lunged and struck swiftly. With her distance from him and the speed at which she was walking, he was sure to hit his target with pinpoint accuracy. But… somehow he didn't. There was a blur, a yelp, and the sound of Kratos' sword digging into a snowbank while a pair of figures tumbled down the path nearby. He spun around on his feet, trying to figure out what had happened, and raised his sword for self defense if necessary. However, Ida was the one to reassure him that it wasn't.

"M-Mister Kratos… there's no need for that… h-he's friendly…" It was difficult for her to get the words out in between her giggling and enduring an onslaught of slobbery canine kisses. "Haha, aren't you a happy puppy?" she cooed, not acknowledging the fact that the creature was larger than she was. "You're the dog I met in Meltokio! What in the world are you doing all the way out here? How'd you even get here? Your owner must be worried sick!"

Kratos almost dropped his sword entirely. "N…" He could barely get the name out. "…Noishe?"

Noishe lifted one ear and turned his head away from Ida for a moment so that he could look at Kratos. His muzzle turned up into a snarl, and he adopted a defensive stance, legs locked and tail upright, taking a position between Ida and Kratos. Kratos immediately sheathed his sword and held up his hands, and while Noishe relaxed, he didn't move.

"Noishe- is that his name? Mister Kratos, do you know this dog?" Ida sat up on her knees, reaching up to scratch Noishe behind the ears. He began to wag his tail, inching closer to her and nuzzling her shoulder. "I saw him the other day in Meltokio. He seems to like me for some reason!"

"He's…" Kratos drew closer, slowly at first, and then kneeling down beside Noishe when he was sure the animal would allow him. "…he's, uh, Lloyd's dog."

Noishe gave a little whine in response, but didn't look at Kratos.

"Lloyd's? Oh! No wonder!" Ida continued to scratch Noishe's ear with one hand and looped the other around his neck to pull him closer. "That's why you were in Meltokio and now here, huh? You're looking for Lloyd. And-" She stopped and let go of him, looking down at herself, giggling again as she did so. "-it's no wonder you're being so friendly with me. I'm wearing Lloyd's coat, so I smell like him!"

Kratos sighed and stood up. He reached out to stroke Noishe's head, and to his relief Noishe leaned into his touch. "Lloyd is back at the resort, right? Noishe, you should go find him. I'm sure he'll be happy to see you." He stopped petting Noishe and walked around to help Ida to her feet. "In the meantime, the two of us will-"

Noishe let out a yip and jumped in between Kratos and Ida, causing Ida to fall back onto her knees and Kratos to stagger backwards. The canine then began to circle Ida, brushing his tail against her as he did so. She laughed in response and stood up.

"I think he wants to play. Do you want to play, Noishe?"

Noishe yipped again, this time jumping up and down as he did so, leaving a deep imprint in the snow. Ida scrambled to the edge of the trail, digging around in the snow in an attempt to find something to play with. She was aiming for a stick, but the first thing she found was a pinecone, and with the snow coming down like it was, she wasn't going to be picky. "Hey, Noishe! You wanna play fetch? Go fetch the pinecone, Noishe!"

Kratos reached out to her. "Um, listen. You have to understand, Noishe is a rather… _special_ animal. He's not the kind to-"

A loud whine from Noishe interrupted Kratos' sentence. Noishe hopped up on his hind legs, tongue lolling out as he stared intently at the pinecone. Ida threw it, and within a split second, Noishe had dashed forward, caught it in mid-air, and brought it back.

"Good boy!" Ida cooed. "What was that about him being special?"

"N-nothing…" Kratos looked away.

Ida and Noishe continued to play with the pinecone for a few minutes, running back and forth along the trail. Sometimes when Noishe returned with the pinecone, he'd give it up willingly, but other times he'd put up a fight and make Ida work for it. The forest was filled with the sound of Noishe's frenzied barks and whines intermingled with Ida's laughter and praise.

Kratos tried to cover his ears. He couldn't bear it.

"Okay! I'm gonna see how far I can throw it!" Ida pulled her arm back as though she were pitching a baseball and threw the pinecone as hard as she could. She angled it up more than she'd anticipated, however, and it stuck fast in the snow-covered bough of one of the trees up ahead. "O-oops! Don't worry, Noishe. I'll find another one."

Before Noishe could go after it, Ida had already run ahead, trying to figure out where the best place to search in the snow might be. Noishe stepped forward to follow her, but Kratos stopped him with a stern hand on the scruff of his neck.

"Noishe, stop!" Kratos hissed. "You're making a mistake. That's not her." Noishe whined and began to pull away under Kratos' grip, so he leaned down and wrapped his arms around Noishe's neck to hold him in place. This only spurred further struggling, but Kratos wasn't going to give up so easily. "I'm telling you… it's not her… it's just an illusion, Noishe… you've gotta stop… please… that's not… not… not- _ANNA_!"

The last word of his sentence ended up being yelled in surprise as Noishe pulled himself from his grip. When Kratos regained his balance, he looked up, only to see Ida standing a few paces away, wide-eyed. She had been holding an armful of pinecones that she'd collected, but had suddenly dropped them all.

"…Anna…" she murmured slowly, sounding it out as though it were foreign.

"Ida, I didn't- er, that's not-" Kratos tried to break in, but she didn't acknowledge him.

"…Anna… that's it…" A bright smile spread across her face. "…that's _my name._ My real name. It's _Anna_. My name is Anna!"


	16. Chapter 16

As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 19:**

 _Cha_ _'n eil fealladh ann cho mòr ris an gealladh gun choimhlionadh._

There is no deceit so great as a promise unfulfilled.

 **16-**

Colette leaned against the railing on the overlook, mentally tracing the paths of the ski lifts along the mountainsides that were almost obscured by the falling snow. The wind was getting stronger, and her cheeks and nose were getting numb, but she couldn't bring herself to go back inside. The lights from the resort made the falling snow sparkle, and it was like being in a silent kaleidoscope, the world slowly turning around her. The view was so beautiful that if it weren't for the biting cold, she would've thought it was a dream.

She began to get a sneaking suspicion, however, when she caught the sound of a voice that couldn't have been anything but a dream.

" _Colette? Colette! Hey!_ "

She twirled around to see a group of three approaching, lit from the back by the lights of the resort. They looked almost like…

" _Colette? Is that you?_ _"_

There was no mistaking the voice of the young man who was beginning to wave. Colette got a running start from her perch on the overlook and tackled him in an enthusiastic hug before he was even able to get a word in edgewise. "LLOYD! I can't believe it! What are you doing here?"

Lloyd took a moment to regain his balance. "Wh-what am I doing here? Isn't it obvious? I'm here because of you and Zelos."

"Yeah!" Genis agreed. "We were worried about you guys!"

Sheena pressed closer, taking one of Colette's hands. "Are you alright? Zelos hasn't gotten you into any trouble, has he?"

"…Genis, Sheena, Lloyd…" Colette took a step back, examining their faces. "…you guys really came here just for Zelos and me? But what about the festival? Lloyd, you were gonna spend it with Kratos. Sheena, you had responsibilities in Mizuho. And Genis, don't you have class?"

Lloyd shrugged. "Kratos canceled on me at the last minute. A festival's no fun if you can't spend it with people you care about- so when I heard that you and Zelos were going to be here, I _had_ to come."

"… _Lloyd_ _…_ "

"Lloyd's right." Genis nodded. "I already finished my final papers, but even if I hadn't, you're _way_ more important to me than any stupid class. I want to make sure you're okay."

"… _Genis_ …"

"Myrddin's comet represents loyalty to the people of Mizuho," Sheena offered, "and they understand that there's no greater show of loyalty than making sacrifices to help a friend in need. Of _course_ I'd come for you, Colette."

"… _Sheena_ …" Colette clasped her hands against her chest, fighting back tears. " _You guys_ _…_ I love you guys so much…" She pressed her head back into Lloyd's shoulder, and Sheena and Genis wrapped their arms around her as well. Placed in the middle of the hug, Colette could no longer tell that she was outside in the snow. The love of her friends was too warm.

"Seles was the one who told us you were here," Genis began as he stepped away, prompting the group to separate again. "She said that Zelos was concerned about some kind of powerful weapon hidden here. Is everything okay?"

"Oh, that?" Colette smiled. "You don't have to worry! We found it, and we have everything under control."

"Y-you do?" Sheena stammered.

"Of course! Zelos and I located it yesterday, and we're going to confront the owner this morning, once it's light out. Zelos says it's a powerful mana converter of some kind, kinda like a giant key crest." Colette reached into her coat and held her own key crest up for everyone to see. "Because someone has to check on the converter every day, we'll be able to talk to them peacefully about what's going on. Problem solved!"

The pathway was silent for a long moment. Lloyd, Sheena, and Genis glanced at one another uneasily. "It, uh," Lloyd began "really _does_ sound like you've got things under control. That's such a relief to hear."

"W-we came all this way because we were worried that you'd be in danger." Genis scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "I guess we should've had more faith in you. Sorry, Colette."

"Don't be sorry! You came all this way for my sake." Colette took his hands and held them close. "You're here now, and we can all spend the festival together. And here I thought that there was no way that I could be any happier…"

"You've been having a good time, then?" Sheena asked. "Despite all of this?"

"Oh, yes! I've made new friends, I've gotten to ride on a dog sled for the first time, I've been up to the summit of a mountain to look at the stars…" She stepped back and covered her face with her hands, trying to hide the redness in her cheeks. "…and I've… fallen in love…"

" _Huh_?"

Sheena and Genis were more surprised than anything else, but Lloyd was enthusiastic.

"Whaaaat? No way!" He laughed, grabbing Colette by the shoulders. "You've gotta tell me _all_ about it! Who is it? What are they like? Have you told them yet? You've gotta tell 'em-"

"D-don't worry, Lloyd!" Colette laughed in response, caught up in his excitement. "I _have_ told him! In fact, he told me about his feelings first."

"You're kidding!" Lloyd moved his hands to take hold of hers instead, twirling her around. "How romantic! Here on the eve of a festival, with the snow falling all around… it's like magic. I'm so jealous. You've gotta introduce me to him! What's his name? What's he like-"

"Calm down, Lloyd." Sheena placed a hand on his shoulder to pull him away. "Colette obviously really likes this guy, so I don't want you meeting him and scaring him away-"

"Actually-" Colette interrupted them, wringing her hands nervously. "-it's Zelos."

The group fell silent. For a short time, no one moved. Lloyd was the first to speak, and his smile relieved all of Colette's worries for a brief moment.

" _Get outta town!_ You and _Zelos?_ That's AWESOME!"

Colette beamed. "Isn't it?"

"No kidding! I mean, two of my best friends, _together_? That's crazy! I-in a really good way, I mean. That's crazy good! It's, like, so good that it's crazy-"

Sheena placed a hand on his shoulder. "Hold on a second, Lloyd. I'm not so sure about this."

"What's not to be sure about? Aren't you excited for them?"

"Is something wrong, Sheena?" Colette ventured.

Sheena didn't answer right away. She glanced away nervously, and then finally returned her gaze to meet Colette's. "You, uh… said that he told you he _loves_ you?"

"In a way, yes."

"What else did he say? A lot of flattering compliments, I bet?"

"Well, yeah…" Colette shifted her weight as she thought about it. "I mean, of course he's said a lot of nice things. But-"

"And it makes you feel really good when he says those things, doesn't it?"

Colette nodded. "Because I like him too. And I make sure that he knows how great he is."

"And you would do anything for him if he asked you to?"

"…I… I suppose…"

"Hold on, Sheena!" Lloyd nudged her aside so that he could get between her and Colette. "You can't possibly be saying that Zelos would take advantage of Colette. That's horrible-"

"I don't know. I wouldn't put it past him," Genis offered. "His reputation precedes him…"

Colette was looking back and forth between the group, trying to understand what was going on. "I… don't understand. I thought you all would be happy for us…"

"I am! I'm happy for you!" Lloyd assured her. "Genis and Sheena are just, uh, worried. They want to make sure Zelos is being honest with you."

"He wouldn't lie to me! That's absurd!"

Sheena placed a hand on Colette's shoulder. "Listen… I know we should talk to Zelos first to get his side of the story, but he's really good at putting on a facade. That's why we want you to be careful. Zelos knows exactly what to say to a girl to get what he wants, and then forgets about her when he's had his fun. I'm not saying he'd do that to you, but-"

"He wouldn't!" Colette shook her head and tugged at her shoulder to get Sheena's hand off of it. "What could he possibly want so badly from a girl that he'd lie to her like that?"

"W-well…" Genis inched closer, lowering his voice. "Among other things, he's probably… trying to get you to sleep with him."

Colette blinked, frowning in confusion at the phrasing. "Huh? I already have."

The entire group froze. Lloyd began to cough as though he were choking on something, but Genis and Sheena didn't seem to be breathing. It took a moment for Sheena to regain her composure enough to respond.

"R…really…?"

"Yeah, it was-" Colette began to recount the story of her open-window fiasco from a few nights earlier, but stopped short as soon as she remembered the conversation that she'd shared with Zelos the next morning. "Ah! Oh no! He told me not to tell anybody about that!" She pressed her hands together, bowing apologetically. "I-I don't know why, but I told him I wouldn't say anything, so- please! Forget you heard that!"

" _OH. So THAT_ _'S how he's going to play this_." Sheena's exclamation could be heard echoing off the walls of the nearby resort. " _ZELOS WILDER, YOU ARE A DEAD MAN-_ _"_

"No, no, no, no!" Lloyd grabbed hold of her before she could run off. She struggled and protested, making it difficult for him to keep her still. "D-Dwarven Vow NUMBER _ONE_! _Leigeamaid ag obair c_ _òmhla airson saoghal SÌTHEIL!_ Let's all work together for a PEACEFUL world! That means not jumping to conclusions and being willing to listen to the whole story before doing anything rash-"

"You can't possibly be taking Zelos' side!" Genis yelled. "I can't believe you! Don't you care about Colette's feelings?"

"Genis, Sheena, stop!" Colette interrupted. "If you really care about my feelings, you'll listen to Lloyd! At least hear Zelos out! I don't understand why you're so angry at him…" Her voice cracked as though she were on the edge of tears, grabbing everyone's attention immediately. "…please… I'm happy with him. Isn't that enough for you?"

Sheena stopped struggling against Lloyd's grip and relaxed, looking back at Colette sadly. "I-I'm sorry, Colette… I just don't want Zelos to hurt you."

"Can't you trust me when I say he won't?"

"We trust you, Colette. I promise." Genis placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's him we don't trust."

Colette sniffled and wiped the edges of her eyes. "Can you at least wait until you talk to him to-?"

Her sentence was cut off by a clamor just around the corner of the building, near the front entrance. They all turned to look, and saw a few people milling about on the path, chattering amongst themselves. There seemed to be an air of confusion amongst them, but nothing seemed very wrong. One familiar figure, however, caught their attention. Colette was the first to tug away from Genis' grip and run off.

"Zelos!"

She tripped slightly and fell forward, but he caught her and helped her back to her feet. "C-Colette," he began, "actually, I'm-"

"Oh, Zelos, I'm so glad you're here!" Colette cut him off. "Sheena and Genis were saying such horrible things about you, I need you to tell them it's not true!"

"Spill your story, Wilder." Sheena walked up and leaned close to him, narrowing her eyes. "And you'd better tell the whole truth. I want to know what's going on."

"G-going on…?" Zelos took a step back from Sheena and Colette, his eyes wide in surprise. "I-I don't know what you're-" He took another step backwards as he continued, but ran into Genis, who had taken a spot behind him.

"Now's not the time to be playing dumb, Zelos. Colette deserves the truth."

"Th-the truth?" He flinched, turning away from Genis. "The truth, uh-"

"Guys, guys, stop yelling at him. Give him some space." Lloyd broke in, separating the group. "Calm down and let him talk."

A smile returned to Zelos' face, and he sighed in relief. "Oh, _Lloyd_! Thank goodness you're here! Can you please explain to me what everyone's talking about? I have no idea how to respond when people just run up to me like this."

"I'm sorry." Lloyd replied. "Colette just told us about what's going on, and they're afraid that you're using her. You know we'd never stand for someone toying with our friend like that… but Colette insists that's not what's going on, and I'm not going to jump to any conclusions."

" _Toying_ with her? I-I could never!" Zelos choked out. "How could you think that?"

"Don't start playing all innocent with us," Sheena butted in. "We're not going to be suckered into your routine."

Colette pushed her aside. "Quit it, Sheena! Didn't you hear him say that he was genuine?" She reached out and grasped Zelos' hands. "After all we've been through together, I know you mean everything you said. Right…?"

"Of course I mean everything, Colette." Zelos squeezed her hands in response, offering a smile. "We _have_ to work together. It's our duty as Chosens, isn't it? One Chosen has to be able to rely on another."

Colette's face fell. "…huh?"

"Something wrong?"

"W-well…" She gently pulled her hands away from his. "…what about our promise? You know- what you said last night?"

The whole group turned to Zelos, staring him down. Colette was genuinely concerned, Lloyd was uneasy, and Sheena and Genis were staring daggers.

"Haha… Colette, uh…" Zelos looked away, tugging at his hair absentmindedly. "…you know I said a _lot_ of things last night. You're gonna have to be more specific than that."

Colette tensed up. "What are you saying? All that you talked about- what happened to your mom, everything between you and Seles, the issue with cruxis crystals… You made a promise!"

"Y-yes, of course." Zelos faltered as he spoke. "I always keep my promises, so don't worry about it! Okay?"

"…I'm sorry. I need a minute. Please don't be mad." Colette shook her head, tugging her scarf over her face and turning away. "I'm just not sure what's going on right now."

Before anyone could say anything, she ran off down the path and disappeared around the corner of the building. Lloyd reached out after her, but immediately realized that the one in immediate danger was Zelos, not Colette.

" _ZELOS, YOU BASTARD-_ _" "I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU-"_

"Whoa, whoa!" Lloyd jumped in to shield a visibly frightened Zelos from the others' attacks. "Sheena, stop! Genis, stop! You two go after Colette! I'll stay here and talk to Zelos."

"But-" Genis began to protest, however Lloyd didn't let him get a word in edgewise.

"Dwarven Vow 28: To have a friend, you have to be a friend. Now go be a friend for Colette, both of you!"

Sheena and Genis sighed, and both turned away, running off in the direction that Colette had gone. Lloyd, in the meantime, turned back to Zelos, who greeted him gratefully.

"Thank you, Lloyd! I was really scared there, for a minute-"

Lloyd reached out and grabbed Zelos' arm with an inhuman grip, nearly twisting it as he pulled his friend close. Zelos tried to protest, but as soon as he met Lloyd's gaze, he lost all ability to speak. The look in Lloyd's eyes was _serious_.

"Don't think you're off the hook just yet. We're going to have a little chat… _man-to-man_."

With Lloyd's fingers tightening painfully around his wrist, Zelos could only nod. "Y-yes, of course. Whatever you say, Lloyd…"

* * *

"It's _Anna_. My name is Anna!" Ida ran up to Noishe, grabbing his front paws and twirling him around in excitement. The canine was all too happy to play along, bounding with her and barking. "It's such a pretty name- I'm so excited! Lloyd and Sheena are gonna be so happy! I just can't stop saying it… Anna, Anna, Anna-"

"Hey!"

Kratos yelled, cutting her off and causing her to stop moving. She dropped her grip on Noishe, and he fell back onto all fours, quickly placing himself between the two. Kratos was unfazed, however.

"I wasn't talking about you. I was talking about someone else. There's no way that's your name-"

"But it is!" Ida tried to step closer, but Noishe got in her way. "Lloyd said that I would know my name when I heard it, and when I heard you say that, I suddenly remembered! Even if you were talking about someone else, you helped me out too! Thank you so much, Mister Kratos!"

Kratos' hand twitched as it often did when he was about to reach for his sword. Noishe picked up on it and began to growl, but because Ida hadn't noticed, she began to scold him.

"Noishe, what's the matter? Don't growl at people for no reason. You shouldn't-"

" _Don_ _'t worry about it. I'm sure he's growling at me._ "

Ida and Kratos turned in surprise toward the voice that had interrupted them. "Mister Yuan!" Ida exclaimed. "Where'd you come from?"

"How long have you been there?" Kratos asked.

Yuan hopped down from a snowbank on the ridge above them. "Not long. I was worried about you guys in this weather, so I came out to find you. It's getting pretty bad out here. You really need to come back to the resort." He reached out and took Ida's hand. "I'll escort you back to the lobby safely while Kratos sees that Noishe gets safely to Lloyd. What do you say?" Yuan winked. "I'll take care of her."

"I'll owe you," Kratos murmured. "But I won't stop you if you're willing to do that."

Yuan laughed. "Or else you'll owe me donuts, right?"

"Just go."

Ida was looking back and forth, amused by their banter. "Mister Kratos, once you find Lloyd, you should come into the lobby with him and Noishe. I'll meet you there, okay?" She took Yuan's hand and followed him back up the path. "See you soon! Don't freeze out here!"

Kratos watched them go, keeping his hand on the scruff of Noishe's neck. It kept Noishe from moving at least until the two were out of sight. Once they disappeared over the next hillside, however, Noishe took off. Kratos had to jump in order to catch him.

" _Noishe, stop!_ "The surprise of his weight on Noishe's back sent Noishe to the ground, but it didn't last long. Kratos found himself being shaken in every direction as Noishe attempted to stand up and break free. Normally Noishe would easily be able to support Kratos' weight and carry him, but Kratos had a hold on two of his legs so that he couldn't get away. He struggled, thrashing and whining, but Kratos wasn't letting go.

" _N-Noishe_ _… please… we're just t- we're just trying… to do what's b-best… for Anna… You don't understand… what's- what's going on… w-we're trying… to protect-_ AGH! _"_

Noishe had resorted to biting at Kratos' arms in an attempt at freedom, and it finally worked. Kratos flinched, letting go of Noishe for long enough to allow the creature to break free. Noishe wasted no time in running off, and by the time Kratos looked up from confirming that the bite hadn't broken his skin, Noishe was nowhere to be seen.

* * *

Ida skipped along beside Yuan, partially because she was too happy about her name to walk properly, and partially because she was cold and moving more helped her conserve heat.

"So, Ida, did you and Kratos have fun on your walk?"

"We did!" she answered. "But, uh, my name is actually Anna."

" _Anna_?"

"Yeah!"

"Who told you that?"

"Well, nobody did. I just remembered it." She shook her head. "But now that I've remembered that, I'm sure that I'll be able to figure out who I am soon! Lloyd and the others are going to be so happy. I can't wait to tell them that I remembered my real nam-"

"You _didn_ _'t_."

Yuan stopped, forcing Ida to stop with him when he tugged on her hand. She turned back and looked at him.

"Huh?"

"That's not your name."

Ida frowned, letting go of his hand and taking a step back. "I-I don't understand. I have memories of it. My name is Anna."

"No." Yuan shook his head. "The human whose memories you're _stealing_ was named Anna. _You_ don't have a name. _You_ shouldn't exist."

The wind that was blowing against the hillside momentarily died down, causing a silence to fall over the two. Ida stiffened, taking a few more steps back, before finally breaking into a full-blown run away from where Yuan was standing. She didn't get very far, though, before he appeared in front of her.

"I'm sorry that Kratos is so bad at explaining things. Talking about stuff isn't really his style. You want to know what you are, don't you? I can tell you that. Just stay still and listen for a few minutes."

Ida trembled, backing away from him a little before stopping and looking down at her feet. "M-Mister Yuan… I don't understand. If I'm not Anna, then who am I?"

Yuan answered her question with a question.

"Have you heard of the _Angelus Project_?"


	17. Chapter 17

As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 29:  
** _Coimh_ _éad fearg fhear na foighde."  
_ Beware the anger of a patient man.

 **17-**

Colette had found a small picnic area that was sheltered, offering a place to get out of the snow. Sheena and Genis found her sitting at one of the tables, tracing the patterns in the wood grain with her finger. Genis knew she usually did that sort of thing when she was deep in thought, and he tried not to interrupt her, but this was a special occasion.

"Colette…?" He sat down next to her, inching closer. "You okay?"

Sheena sat down on the other side, placing a hand on one of Colette's. "We're on your side, no matter what- we're just as angry with him as you are. That lying bastard is going to get what he deserves-"

"No, no." Colette shook her head. "I'm not angry. I'm concerned. It's like something's wrong with him. He's not acting at all like himself."

"Well, yeah! That innocent act isn't fooling anyone-"

"No, I mean," Colette cut Genis off, "we promised each other that we weren't going to talk about _Chosen_ stuff. He said he was fed up with always being seen as the Chosen and not as Zelos. He asked me to see him as just Zelos, so I promised that I would, and… he promised back. We said we wouldn't be the Chosens for each other anymore. We'd just be Zelos and Colette."

"…that's…" Sheena moved her hand. "…that's certainly not the kind of promise I thought you were talking about."

"I don't know what could have prompted this sudden change." Colette shook her head. "He seemed too overwhelmed, I didn't want to keep pressing him and making him more nervous. That's why I ran off. Maybe if we all calm down, we can discuss things properly."

"Well, Lloyd's with him now." Genis motioned back toward the front of the building. "He's kept a surprisingly level head about all this. If anyone can get to the bottom of it, I'm sure it's Lloyd."

"In the meantime, Colette…" Sheena spoke, lowering her voice and leaning in a little closer. "…he, uh, didn't hurt you, did he? I mean, physically. He didn't make you do anything you didn't want to…?"

"What? No!" Colette shook her head. "I've been helping investigate the mana abnormality because I want to help these people! And even then, when things have been dangerous, Zelos has always been looking out for me and making sure I'm safe. We're a team."

Sheena's face reddened. "Uh, as nice as that sounds… that's not what I was asking about…"

"Hm? What were you asking about, then?"

"…w-well… you said that you, uh… _y_ _'know_ …" Sheena faltered for words through her embarrassment. "…I mean, the two of you… it's just that rumors around Meltokio say that Zelos can be kinda rough… especially for first-timers… so I was concerned… about someone as inexperienced as you… with someone like him…"

Genis shot to his feet, turning his head away to conceal his bright-red face. "Th-this is a conversation you two should probably be having by yourselves. As in, _without me._ "

"Wait, Genis. What are you saying?" Colette reached out and grabbed the sleeve of his coat. She was oblivious in some regards, but she hadn't missed the embarrassed looks on her friends' faces. "You guys aren't saying that you think Zelos and I…" Her voice hitched nervously as she blurted out the word. "… _k-kissed_?"

Genis and Sheena stared. The looks of embarrassment on their faces had mellowed somewhat, replaced by confusion. "Um, yes?" Sheena ventured.

"Oh, no, no, _no_!" Colette jumped to her feet, shaking her head and covering her face with her hands. "No way we've done anything like _that_! We only _just_ told each other how we felt! I mean, sure, I've hugged him, and I've let him hold my hand…" She pulled her hands away from her face to examine them. "… _both_ hands, actually. Ah! Is that too much too soon? I don't want to move too fast for him!"

"I, uh, think Zelos is perfectly comfortable with… _hand-holding._ " Sheena replied. "But I'm confused. Earlier you said that you… uh, _slept with him_? And he didn't want you to tell anybody?"

"Yeah, see, I accidentally left one of the windows open the first day we stayed here, and the room got super cold in the middle of the night." Colette scratched her cheek, her face growing red again. "I couldn't get warm, so I figured I'd share Zelos' blanket. He didn't even know I was there until the next morning. I apologized to him for scaring him, and he said it was okay, but for some reason he still didn't want me telling anyone. I don't know why-"

Genis reached a hand out to interrupt her. "Hold on. So when you said you _slept with him,_ you mean that you just… spent the night… sharing a blanket… _beside_ him?"

Colette frowned. "What else would I have meant?"

Sheena and Genis looked at one another, trying to figure out what to say. Genis cringed, placing a hand on his cheek, and Sheena wrung her hands nervously.

"It seems… there's been a grave misunderstanding…" Genis sighed.

"And to think I almost killed him," Sheena muttered.

"Okay, okay, okay." Genis started waving his hands, catching Colette and Sheena's attention. "Let me see if I understand what's going on here, Colette. Zelos confessed his love for you, he's been telling you very personal things and making you meaningful promises, and yet… he hasn't once tried to come onto you? You shared a bed and he didn't so much as lay a hand on you?"

"Why does that seem strange to you? What are you trying to say?"

Sheena frowned. "It just seems very… un-Zelos-like." She paused, her eyes widening. "My gods, I think he might be in love for real."

"That's what I've been trying to tell you this whole time!" Colette gave an exasperated sigh before her expression became grave again. "And that's why I'm concerned. I don't know what made him make such an abrupt turn-around. Why would he promise something so important to him and then suddenly go back on it?"

"You're right. Something's off." Sheena stood up beside Colette and started back toward the resort in the direction they'd come from. "If something's happened to Zelos, Lloyd might be in danger!"

Colette gasped, taking off after Sheena and quickly outpacing her. " _No! Lloyd, Zelos!_ "

Genis scrambled to follow as best as he could, but the girls had left him behind while he was still trying to figure out what had happened.

"W-wait for me!"

* * *

The front of the resort area had a grand staircase that led down to the entrance road. Lloyd led Zelos down the steps to one of the landings and brushed off an area for them to sit down. In his opinion, Zelos seemed a little… off. He was too formal, not nearly friendly enough in his speech and mannerisms. Not once had he referred to him as "bud" or "bro," which alone was enough to make Lloyd concerned for his health. But with everything that had just happened with Colette, he was now suspicious.

Zelos made no attempt to start up a conversation. He seemed to be waiting for Lloyd to take the lead- another strike against him. Lloyd was quiet for a few awkward moments before finally speaking up.

"The snow's really coming down, huh?"

"Yeah. Sure is."

"Y'know…" With the proverbial "ice" successfully broken, Lloyd felt comfortable diving into his topic, "…Colette and I have been best friends since we were little. We're practically siblings. I can't stand to see her unhappy. That's why I was so serious with you just now."

"O-of course! She's a very dear friend to me too! I can't stand to see her unhappy either!"

Lloyd didn't answer right away. He was thinking over what Zelos had just said. 'Dear friend'… that certainly wasn't how Colette had described their relationship just now. "I'm sure she is a _dear friend_ to you," he began, "especially since you told her about your mom. I may be wrong, but I got the feeling that you don't tell that story to just anyone. When you told me, it sounded like it was extremely personal."

Zelos nodded. "It is."

Lloyd closed his eyes and rested his head in his hands, turning his face upward so that he could feel the snowflakes landing on it. "Isn't it strange? When you told me about your mom, it was a night like this. It wasn't snowing quite this hard, but… we were here in Flanoir, and everything was lit up. It was late, but you'd come to my inn room and invited me outside for a walk. Snowflakes were falling, and you just started spouting some really personal stuff. It took me by surprise. But, in the end, I think we came to understand each other a lot better. Do you remember that?"

"I do."

"It was beautiful. Of course, I'm not sure how we didn't freeze out there, since neither of us were properly dressed for the weather. It sure was cold, wasn't it?"

"Yeah," Zelos agreed, "really cold."

There was a pause.

"I lied."

"Huh?" Zelos opened his eyes in surprise. "What do you mean?"

Lloyd lowered his face again, shaking his head and rubbing his eyes to dislodge the snowflakes that had accumulated on his eyelashes. "I lied about the Flanoir thing. We weren't in Flanoir when you told me about your mom. We were in Palmacosta."

"P-Palmacosta…"

"Yeah. It was the hottest day of the summer, and we were hanging out by the docks, watching the boats." Lloyd closed his eyes. "We had gotten ice cream from that little parlor you like, and it was almost sunset, so the mosquitoes were relentless. You broke the tension after your story by swatting at one and saying something silly about how you _couldn_ _'t keep the ladies off you_. I pushed you into the bay for that, but instead of getting angry at me, you thanked me for helping you cool off. It was _that_ hot. Don't you remember that?"

"O-of course I remember that, Lloyd!" Zelos waved his hands.

"Then why'd you agree with me about the Flanoir thing?"

"B-because… well…" Zelos was stammering now, but he managed to take a deep breath and regain his composure. "I mean, I was wondering what you were talking about, but you seemed so serious about it, I didn't want to make you feel like a fool by correcting you. I thought it would hurt your feelings."

"So you _do_ remember Palmacosta?"

"How could I forget? It was so hot-"

"I lied again."

A silence fell between them. Zelos stared at Lloyd with a blank expression. "…what-?"

"All that stuff about being in Palmacosta- that never happened. We've never hung out together in Palmacosta. It's Genis that I shared ice cream with on the pier and pushed into the bay for saying something about how mosquitoes weren't attracted to me because they don't like biting stupid people."

"L-Lloyd…"

"Or maybe I lied just now. Maybe it _was_ Palmacosta. Flanoir, Palmacosta… which is it?" He stood up, grabbing hold of Zelos' arm so that he could pull him to his feet as well. "Do you even know, _Zelos_? Or should I even call you that?"

"L-Lloyd…" He began to stammer out a reply, but stopped and hung his head in shame. "I'm sorry. I was going to tell you the truth at the beginning, but you and the others were so convinced that I was Zelos, I couldn't get a word in edgewise and just tried to play along. I shouldn't have done that."

"Who are you?!" Lloyd demanded. "What have you done with the real Zelos?!"

"Lloyd, it's me, Orrison."

There was a pause. A few snowflakes had gotten stuck to the strands of hair that were falling in Lloyd's face, and he brushed them away with his hand. "…um, Orrison who?"

Orrison took advantage of Lloyd's confusion to squirm out of his grip and step back. "Orrison the _Chosen_! The one to whom you brought the prophecy of the Great Divine and the End of Nights! Isn't that why you're here?"

"Uh…" Lloyd scratched the back of his head. "…I think you may have me mistaken for someone else. I'm Lloyd Irving. I work at a coffee shop in Luin."

"Yes, exactly! The Lake Sinoa cafe. That's where I was working when I first met you." Orrison gestured to himself as he spoke. "You were a new barista, so the boss had me train you. Every day during your training, you talked about the need to travel the world and collect exspheres. Your prophecy and instruction provided me the mechanism I needed for my divine mission. It's thanks to you that I can finally bring about the End of Nights."

Lloyd's mouth hung open. "I-I have no idea what the _hell_ you're talking about. I mean, yeah, I talked to you about my dream of traveling around and collecting exspheres, but-"

"And I've done that," Orrison interrupted with a smile. He dug into his pocked and pulled out a green stone, showing it off to Lloyd as he spoke. "I've collected as many as I could find. With their power combined, I know that I can fulfill my divine mission! This age of separation will come to an end, and everyone will be reunited with-"

" _Orrison?!_ _"_

Lloyd and Orrison turned around to see Colette and Sheena standing at the top of the steps, staring down at them. Colette ran down the steps as quickly as she could, but she slipped on an icy patch and tumbled downward. Orrison reached out and grabbed her before Lloyd had a chance to.

"Careful, Colette!" he scolded. "You'll hurt yourself if you try to run in this weather."

"You… I don't understand… your disguise is too perfect. It's like you've stolen Zelos' body itself. Where's Zelos?"

"She's right!" Lloyd grabbed hold of Colette's shoulders, tugging her away from Orrison. "You never answered my question. What have you done with the real Zelos, and why?!"

Orrison took the fist he had clenched around his exsphere and placed it over his chest. "To bring about the End of Nights, I need to become an angel. I asked him to give me his Cruxis Crystal, but he refused. So I had to… swap with him."

"So you're saying that the real Zelos is in your body now?" Lloyd demanded. "That's not fair! You have to switch back!"

"I-I wish I could, but that body is…" Orrison held out his fist and opened it slightly, staring at the stone. Colette had to stand on the tips of her toes to get a look at it, but as soon as she recognized it, her face turned white and she fell backwards.

"Th-that's-! You-!" She could barely manage to choke out a sentence. "H-he didn't have a key crest!"

Lloyd gasped. "Wait a minute! That would mean-"

The group was interrupted by a voice from the top of the stairs. Genis had run to stand beside Sheena, followed by Seles and Hazel. He waved his hands and yelled out to be heard over the sound of the wind and snow.

"You guys, they've called for an evacuation of the resort! Some sort of monster has gotten loose on the fifth floor, and they can't contain it! They said a team has been dispatched to take care of it, but so far they haven't been successful."

" _NO!_ " Colette shrieked, turning away from Orrison and bolting up the steps. Seles, meanwhile, was yelling Zelos' name, but Sheena was holding her back, trying to tell her that the man down the steps from her was _not_ , in fact, her brother. Orrison ran after Colette, and Lloyd followed him, sticking closely.

Colette was practically in tears as she reached the top of the stairs.

"We have to do something! We have to get back up to the suite! Zelos is… is…"

"Master Zelos is still in the suite?" Hazel asked. "He's stuck up there with that monster-?"

"No." Orrison reached the top of the stairs, bowing his head in apology. "That monster _is_ what has become of the real Zelos. It's all my fault. I-I'm so sorry. I never meant for this to happen. All I wanted was the Cruxis Crystal-"

"Shut up!" Lloyd grabbed Orrison by the collar of his coat. "Didn't you _know_ what would happen if you removed an exsphere without a key crest?! You had to know it was dangerous! Zelos would never have given up his humanity without a fight! You _knew_ that-"

" _Yelling at him is not going to do any good, Lloyd!_ " Colette interrupted. "We have to get up there! If we don't, who knows what will happen to the real Zelos?" She turned and started running toward the door where a wave of frightened hotel guests were filing out of the building, but she was suddenly outpaced by-

"SELES!"

Hazel yelled, watching Colette and Seles disappear into the crowd of people, but Lloyd grabbed her arm before she could chase her mistress. "Hazel! Where did Ida go? She's not still in the resort, is she?"

"No." Hazel shook her head. "Ida is with your father."

Lloyd let go of her arm in shock. "My _what_?!"

"Mister Kratos… and a Mister Yuan as well. They were searching for something out by the lake, and Ida asked to go with them. She trusted Mister Kratos, and he said that he was your father, so I assumed that you would approve of them keeping an eye on her while we lo-"

" _No, dammit! This can_ _'t happen!_ " Lloyd didn't even wait to hear the rest of his sentence before burying his head in his hands. "I promised Ida that I'd protect her! If Kratos kills her before she can even figure out who she is, I'll never forgive myself!" He swiveled around and pointed at Genis and Sheena. "You guys go help Colette and everybody figure out a way to save Zelos! I'm gonna track down Ida and Kratos before it's too late."

"What about the fake Zelos?" Genis demanded. "He-" The boy turned around to look for Orrison, but to his surprise, Orrison had already vanished from the scene. "H-he's gone!"

"Forget about him now! Focus on the real Zelos! Orrison will have to answer for his actions later!"

The frenzied milling of people outside the hotel began to die down as Lloyd ran down the path toward the lake. It felt like the snow was picking up with every second that passed, and soon it was almost impossible for him to see more than a few feet in front of him. He finally had to stop in frustration, trying to figure out if he was on the right path. The vertical trail markers were too far apart to be seen with the conditions like they were, and the ground was being covered so quickly by the snow, the edges of the trail were disappearing into the blanket of white on the ground. Lloyd cursed under his breath. He was headed out into a vast expanse of arctic wilderness. He'd _never_ be able to locate Kratos and Ida with the weather like it was, and if he got lost himself, his life could be in danger as well-

For a split second, Lloyd could've sworn that the "howling" of the snowstorm sounded like an actual howl. No, it was separate, and getting closer. Could it be something else? Lloyd turned around several times, trying to figure out where the noise was coming from, but by the time he did, the creature was already on top of him. Lloyd found himself flat on the ground, a pair of enormous purple paws on his chest and a wet nose in his face.

"N-N-Noishe…? What the-?"

Noishe stepped back, allowing Lloyd to sit up, and then began nudging him from the back to help him onto his feet. Lloyd couldn't help but notice that the canine was whining the entire time. Something had him utterly spooked.

"Noishe, what are you doing here? Where have you been? I haven't seen you in-" No. Now wasn't the time for that. Lloyd shook his head. "Noishe, listen. I need to find Kratos. Do you know where he is?"

Noishe let out a yip in reply.

"Can you take me to him?"

Before he could even process Noishe's reply, the creature ran around behind him and charged into him, lifting Lloyd up onto his back. Lloyd was unsteady at first, but once he realized what was going on, he settled into the comfortable feeling of being carried on Noishe's back, his hands digging into the thick fur and his head turned against the wind.

 _C_ _'mon, Noishe, you've gotta hurry! Please get me to Ida before it's too late!_


	18. Chapter 18

As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 24:  
** _Na leig do chasan a 'ruith nas luaithe na do bhr_ _ògan.  
_ Never let your feet run faster than your shoes.

 **18-**

"I'm sorry, miss, but the elevators are out of service during emergencies. It's too dangerous for guests to go back upstairs. We've dispatched a group to deal with the threat, so things should be under control soon-"

"THAT'S WHY I HAVE TO GET UP THERE!" Seles shoved the clerk aside, making a beeline for the doorway to the staircase. She'd had a sinking feeling that this might be her only option when the elevator had not responded to the call button just now, but she didn't want to try the stairs unless she absolutely had to. She needed to save her energy for rescuing her brother! But if there was no other way…

Logic told her that she should take the stairs slowly. She knew that, if she got winded trying to climb the steps back at the Wilder mansion, there was no way she could easily make it up five stories. But fear and panic were pushing her, and she found herself bolting up the stairs as quickly as she could. By the time she passed the second floor, she had to cling to the railing to keep her balance. Her head spun, and her throat felt tight, like she couldn't get enough air in her lungs. Seles willed herself to stay standing, but her dizziness took over and she found herself falling- right into someone's arms.

"Seles, be careful! Zelos needs you!"

Seles opened her eyes as she felt her arm pulled across Colette's shoulder in support. Her breathing began to steady, and she smiled. "…Colette… thank you…"

"Hang on. I'll get you up to the fifth floor. You just focus on finding a way that we can help Zelos."

It was funny, with as clumsy and air-headed as Colette could often be, Seles forgot how strong she was. Colette was supporting her weight like it was nothing, dashing up the stairs so quickly that, if Seles didn't know Colette better, she could've sworn the girl was taking them two at a time. "M-my necklace…" Seles began.

"Hm?"

"My necklace. Unicorn horn. I can help him."

"Do you know the spell? Are you strong enough to cast it?"

"Yes, and… I hope so."

The two made it up to the fifth landing and burst through the door into the hallway. Colette had seen exebulas before, but she wasn't prepared for the sight that met her. The monster had laid waste to much of the hallway decorations. Wallpaper was torn, paintings were knocked off the walls, windows were broken, curtains lay in tatters on the floor… and the monster itself was screeching as though it were in pain. Colette saw a group of sorcerers farther down the hallway, preparing some sort of attack. One of them was talking, saying something about _'if we can hit the right spot, we can weaken it enough to take it out with one more shot-_ '

"STOP! YOU CAN'T!" Seles slipped off of Colette's shoulder and bolted down the hallway, grabbing hold of the sorcerer who was preparing the attack. The light of the spell died in the man's hands as he was pulled backwards. "THAT'S MY BROTHER!"

"What?" The sorceress standing beside him began tugging Seles away from her companion. "What are you talking about? That monster is-"

"She's telling the truth!" Colette caught up to them, nervously eyeing the monster ahead of them, which had taken notice of Seles' voice and was approaching to investigate. It looked like an attack had lodged in one of the monster's legs, making it difficult for it to walk, but the creature still had an impressive reach with its gangly arms, and could be dangerous if it came any closer. "We can fix this! Just stop attacking him."

The sorceress was put off. "And leave this monster in the hands of two little girls? Are you out of your- H-HEY! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE-?"

Seles had run around the group to meet the approaching monster halfway. She was tightly clutching her necklace, holding it up in front of her. Her hands were unsteady, however, and with the monster's movement, she couldn't aim properly. "B-brother… it's me, Seles… I can save you, just please… hold still…"

Hoping that he'd sense her intention and cooperate, she pressed her eyes closed and began chanting the spell. It wasn't long or complicated, but she only made it halfway through before she was cut off by-

"SELES!"

Seles opened her eyes just in time to see a massive clawed hand swiping at her. She turned instinctively, but the claws grazed her shoulder, cutting through the layers of fabric and leaving two noticeable gouges in her arm. She winced, one hand flying to her left shoulder, where the edges of the torn fabric were already becoming stained a deep red. She was too overcome by shock to move any further, and so the monster took advantage of this to make another strike. Seles, unmoving, could only watch as the creature descended upon her.

" _ANGEL FEATHERS!_ "

A screech erupted from the monster as it was hit by the magic, causing it to fly back against the opposite wall. Colette ran up to Seles, pulling her scarf from around her neck and tying it tightly around Seles' wounded arm.

"Colette! How could you-?"

"It was a weakened attack. I just needed to stun him and get him away from you. If he hurt you, I know he'd never forgive himself. I'll keep him occupied, while you fire the spell." Colette helped Seles to her feet and then turned back to nod at the sorcerers, who were staring in shock at the power of Colette's so-called " _weakened_ _"_ attack. Before they could say anything, Colette had already engaged the monster again, this time throwing repetitive, straight-line attacks. These were easy to dodge, and the monster did so with ease, but in doing so it was corralled right where Colette wanted it.

Seles had to lean against a wall to keep her balance, but she didn't let it affect her focus. She wrapped her hands around the necklace and began chanting under her breath. With Colette keeping the monster steady, there was no need for her to worry about herself. All her worries were focused on her brother.

 _Please, Zelos_ _… this has to work… you have to come back to us…_

As her voice finished chanting the spell, she could feel the magic channeling through her body, to the unicorn horn, and into the environment. Her worries and pleas for her brother's safety filled her consciousness, and she could think of nothing but the desire to hear his voice and see him safe.

But she blacked out before she could see what happened.

* * *

"The Angelus Project was an attempt to create a Cruxis Crystal using a normal exsphere as a base," Yuan explained. He had found a small shelter at the trailhead with maps and information, and it provided him and Ida a place to get out of the snow and talk properly. "The human whose memories you're seeing, Anna, was a part of this proj-"

"What's a Cruxis Crystal?" Ida interrupted him, raising her hand timidly. Yes, she wanted to hear about Anna, but if she was lost at the beginning, she'd only get more lost as the story continued.

"You don't know what a-?" Yuan cleared his throat. "Er, okay. A Cruxis Crystal is a powerful, highly-evolved form of exsphere. You are at least familiar with exspheres, aren't you?"

Ida nodded. "Lloyd has one. He wears it on his hand like it's jewelry, but he's super protective of it. He also talks to it sometimes when he's alone… like, asking it for advice and stuff. Is it kinda like those magic fortune-teller balls that give a yes or no response when you shake them? I saw some in Meltokio! They were neat, but Sheena told me that they weren't a reliable source for-"

"Okay, okay." Yuan cut her off with a groan. _Now I see why Kratos didn_ _'t want to explain all this to her…_ "Well, more accurately, exspheres are weapons crafted using the mana of human souls."

"Human souls…?" Ida's expression suddenly turned grave. "Like, as in, souls being _sacrificed_?"

"Yes. While the Angelus Project failed to produce a true Cruxis Crystal, it did create a special exsphere that has many different properties that normal exspheres don't. It was Anna whose soul was used to create the Angelus exsphere- essentially she was sacrificed for the sake of creating a weapon."

"W-wait. You mean…" Ida froze, taking a tentative step back. "…Anna is _dead_?"

"Yes. Anna is dead."

"But then… my… _her_ memories…" Ida glanced around nervously. "…her family… what about her baby?"

"Those memories are from many years ago. Her son is a grown man now, and the rest of her family was killed in the human ranches."

Ida trembled, stepping back farther. She was beyond the edge of the shelter, and falling snow began to pool on her shoulders. Yuan reached out to take her hand and pull her back under cover, but she shied away. "Wh-what about her husband? Is he…?"

"I'd be lying if I said he were dead," Yuan began, "but he's not the same man he was. His soul- his happiness- died with Anna. It's probably best that she not see the person he's become."

Yuan finally managed to get ahold of her wrist, but as he did, he noticed that Ida was shaking. Tears were pooling at the edges of her eyes and beginning to spill down her face. A few strained sobs wracked her chest, but she stifled them so that she could respond.

"Mister Yuan, I don't understand. If I'm not Anna, then… who am I? Why am I stealing her memories?"

"It's not just her memories." Yuan shook his head, tugging her back under the shelter. "Your physical body is sapping Anna's very soul from the Angelus exsphere."

" _How?_ "

"It's a construct, made by the exsphere itself. The Angelus exsphere is strange in the ways that it's both like and unlike a Cruxis Crystal. The origin of the Cruxis Crystals can be traced back to a comet known as Derris-Kharlan. That was an enormous mass of mana, larger than any other comet that has ever lit the skies of this planet, but many comets are similar to it on a smaller scale." Yuan turned and began tracing the lines of the trails on the map, as though he were trying to use them to illustrate a point. "Cruxis Crystals drew power from the proximity of Derris-Kharlan, but they also reacted to other passing comets, such as the periodic Myrddin. If the crystal is attached to a mortal body, there are enough fluctuations in mana to balance out the effects of the comet. But if the crystal is alone, it experiences fluctuations in mana levels that can't be fully absorbed by the crystal itself. It will create a physical manifestation of the mana within it in order to offset the fluctuations."

Ida's eyes had glazed over. She didn't seem to be following the story at all, and Yuan dreaded hearing her speak, sure she might ask him to repeat everything.

"…so that means…"

"It means that your physical body is a mana outlet for the Angelus exsphere. When the Myrddin comet began approaching the planet, and the exsphere was not worn on a human full time, an imbalance of mana required it to create a synchronized mortal body to act as a grounding device. Even though the exsphere has been returned to its wearer, you're still receiving mana from it because you're a part of it. The memories that you're getting are pieces of Anna's soul that are slowly being transferred from the exsphere to you." Yuan tapped his finger against the map at the point labeled 'YOU ARE HERE.' "The longer you exist, the more of Anna's soul you'll absorb."

"But wait," Ida broke in, "doesn't that mean, if I just wait long enough, I'll get all of Anna's soul? It'll be just like I'm Anna- no, I _am_ Anna! Don't my son and husband want to see me?"

"That won't happen."

"Wh-why not?"

"There won't be enough time. Think about it- that body of yours is a construct for the purpose of regulating the Angelus exsphere's mana fluctuations. The reason you still exist is because it's still receiving mana from Myrddin's comet. But what will happen when the comet gets far enough away that the exsphere no longer receives that mana?"

"I'll… I'll…" Ida's eyes widened in fright as she caught the meaning behind his words. However, she wasn't able to finish the sentence.

Yuan finished it for her. "You'll disappear. And with you will go the pieces of Anna's soul that you've absorbed." He sighed and turned away. "A soul can survive having a few small pieces chipped from it. We as mortals lose bits and pieces of our souls all the time, often when we lose loved ones or make painful sacrifices. Souls heal themselves. But they can only stand so much. If you were to wait until your physical form disappeared, then you would practically be splitting Anna's soul in half. No human soul can survive a break like that. Both halves would deteriorate immediately. The Angelus exsphere would lose its power, and _worse_ , Anna's soul could never pass on or be reincarnated. It would be forever lost."

There was a long silence. Ida finally dropped to her knees, holding her head in her hands.

"…what can I do…?"

"That depends on what you want," Yuan replied. "Do you want to save Anna's soul?"

"Yes."

"You want to prevent her soul from disappearing, no matter what sacrifices you have to make?"

"…"

Ida was quiet. The wind changed direction slightly, blowing snow into the shelter. Yuan held up his cape as a barrier to keep her from being blanketed in snowflakes. "You understand the situation, don't you? You're going to disappear in less than two weeks, regardless. It's a matter of whether you're willing to sacrifice Anna's soul for an extra week or two of existence. If you can't change the end outcome, is it really worth that?"

"…"

Ida continued to stare at the ground. She didn't move, and with her head bowed, she knew that Yuan couldn't see her expression. There was no way that she wanted anything to happen to Anna's- to _her_ \- soul. But for her to disappear so suddenly, what would Lloyd say? What about Sheena? Or Kratos? And then what about Zelos and Colette, who she'd never gotten the chance to meet? She had so much she wanted to say to them still. She needed to thank them for all their help, needed to-

"You don't have to worry about the process. We can make it so quick and painless that you won't even know what's happening."

When Ida turned her attention upward, she saw that Yuan was holding a strange weapon. With him standing over her and her being so overcome with shock, she suddenly felt helpless to defend herself.

"W-wait, please!This isn't… I mean… it can't- _"_

" _HEY! DON'T YOU DARE LAY A FINGER ON HER!"_

The echo of someone yelling sounded so far away with the wind and snow that Yuan and Ida almost didn't catch it. But Yuan paused and tilted his head, catching the words and trying to figure out where they were coming from. He tensed up, preparing to counter an attack, but he wasn't fully prepared for what he ended up facing. A canine yelp caught him off-guard, and before he knew what had happened, he found himself on his back in the snow, pinned down by a familiar set of paws.

"Noishe! Get off me!"

Noishe's rider, meanwhile, had slid off and run to Ida's side in order to help her to her feet.

"Ida! What happened? Are you okay?" Lloyd knelt down and took Ida's arm, throwing it over his shoulder as he stood back up.

"L-Lloyd… you…" Ida trembled as she took in what was happening. She threw her other arm around Lloyd's shoulder and buried her face in his chest. "I don't know what to do!" she sobbed. "I don't want to die! I don't want to disappear! But if I don't, then my soul…"

Lloyd stiffened. "What are you talking about? What's going on?"

Yuan managed to sit up once Noishe released him. The canine was making sure to keep himself in-between Yuan and the others, but it was at least better for Yuan than being pinned to the ground. "Tell him, Miss _Ida_. As the wearer of the Angelus exsphere, Lloyd deserves to know what's happening to it."

Ida gasped, looking down at Lloyd's hand. " _You_? Your exsphere is…?"

"What are you talking about?" Lloyd yelled, directing it to Yuan rather than Ida. "What's happening to my exsphere?"

"L-Lloyd, I…" Ida began tentatively. "…my real name is Anna. I'm the one who was sacrificed to power that exsphere you wear. Apparently I… died a long time ago."

A moment passed. Lloyd's face turned white and his eyes widened. He opened his mouth to say something, but no sound came out.

"I-I don't really understand it," she continued, "but somehow the comet made me appear. When the comet leaves, I'll disappear again. My- _Anna_ _'s_ \- soul will be destroyed, and your exsphere will lose its powers, and… and…"

Lloyd's hands trembled, and he silently mouthed the word " _what?_ " a few times as he tried to comprehend what she was saying.

"But that can be prevented," Yuan broke in. "That physical body hasn't absorbed enough of Anna's soul yet to destroy it. If she disappears now, there will be only marginal damage. Certainly more than if you had done something earlier, but-"

"If she disappears?" Lloyd interrupted. "You mean, if we _kill_ her, right? How could you say that?!"

"She died years ago, Lloyd. Keeping that body around for another week or two isn't going to change that. In the end, she's going to disappear."

"Th-then I'll…" Lloyd hugged her closer. "…I'll find a way to keep her from disappearing. I won't _let_ her disappear."

Ida gasped, her eyes darting up to look at Lloyd's face. There was a fiery determination in his eyes. He was serious.

"You're talking nonsense, Lloyd," Yuan scoffed. "Even if there _is_ a way to do that, you could never figure it out in time. The comet will be visible in the sky for four days, and its effects will linger long enough to sustain that physical form for perhaps a week longer. That's not nearly enough time to do an advanced study on an exsphere-"

"Don't lecture me! I'm not stupid!" Lloyd yelled back and began to reach for his swords, but he remembered that Ida was still clinging to him, so he calmed down long enough to gently move her aside. With her safe behind him, he could comfortably draw his swords and step forward to face Yuan. "Noishe, go find Sheena and the others. Stay with them- I've got this under control."

"Hah. So you're going to fight me rather than listen to reason?" Relieved from Noishe's watchful eye, Yuan grabbed his weapon and rose to his feet. "Act first, talk later- you really are just like your father."

"Don't compare me to him! He's the one who's content making sacrifices of other people for his own selfish-"

" _Lloyd, did you ever perhaps consider that you were the one being selfish?_ "

Lloyd swiveled around to see Kratos standing behind them a short distance down the trail. Snow had piled up on his shoulders and around his face, but he didn't seem bothered by it. There were scratches on his face that reminded Lloyd of some of the times that his playing with Noishe had accidentally gotten too rough. Had Kratos fought with Noishe? Is that how Noishe knew where to find them…?

"Mister Kratos!" Ida made a dash for him, but Lloyd yelled at her to stop.

"Stay away from him! He wants you dead too!"

Kratos frowned and walked up to Lloyd, passing by a frightened Ida who'd frozen in her tracks, not sure what to do. Instead of acknowledging her, he chose to reach out and grab Lloyd by the collar of his coat, jerking him forward so that they could speak close enough to whisper.

" _I want your mother alive._ _"_ Kratos hissed. _"_ I want her alive more than anything else in the world. But she's _not_. You have toaccept that _._ If you don't, you're just acting selfishly. _"_

Lloyd was close enough that he could've whispered back, just to keep up the dramatic effect, but he was too worked up to do anything but yell. "How am I being selfish?! Kratos, she's _RIGHT THERE!_ _"_

Kratos ground his teeth in frustration. "Think about what you're asking her. Do you really think she wants to give up her soul for just a few extra days of aimless wandering?"

"Maybe she does! Why don't you _ask_ her what she wants?"

"Lloyd, this girl doesn't have all of Anna's memories. She doesn't know what Anna wants."

"She doesn't need her memories of the past to make a decision in the present! Why can't you respect that?"

" _Respect_?! You call this recklessness _respect_?! Prolonging her existence when she's inevitably going to disappear?"

"It doesn't have to be inevitable! I'll find a way to keep her from disappearing!"

"That's impossible, Lloyd."

"Impossible? Isn't that what you said about saving Sylvarant without sacrificing Colette? About reuniting the two worlds? Those things happened! You can't tell me that something like this is impossible, because I _know_ it's no-"

"STOP IT! STOP FIGHTING!"

Ida's voice shattered the tension between the two men. They both looked over at her, seeing her on her knees in the snow, her hands clasped tightly together.

She looked so desperate. "… _Mom_ …" Lloyd murmured.

"L-Lloyd… Kratos… I can't bear to hear you fighting over me like this. I know I don't have a lot of my memories left, but I know enough now to know that I _love you._ Lloyd, even when I couldn't remember who I was, you taught me what it means to have a family. You taught me what it means to care so deeply for someone that you'd do anything for them. You _are_ my family. I love you." She paused and took a deep breath before continuing. "And Kratos, I… I love you too. Somehow I've fallen _in love_ with you. I know I may not have the right to say so. I've seen you so few times, and my memories are still fuzzy. But when I'm with you, it makes me so happy. I can't explain it, but something in my heart wants to stay with you forever, to see you happy. I want to make you happy. I want you and Lloyd to smile and to keep smiling. So… so…"

The snowfall had slowed a little as she spoke, and her voice echoed off the nearby hillsides. Lloyd and Kratos were both frozen in place, staring at her as she spoke. Lloyd wished he could tell what Kratos was thinking.

"…so, I want you to stop fighting over what you think I want. What I want is for you two to decide what would make _you_ happy. I want you two to keep smiling. I'll be satisfied with whatever will make the people I love happy."

The group remained silent. No one could figure out what to say. Lloyd was so confused by the whole situation, he wasn't paying attention to the surroundings. By the time he saw the blur of motion and realized what was going on, Yuan had already appeared behind Ida to strike. A scream caught in Lloyd's throat and he lunged forward, but he wasn't close enough to make any difference.

His heart almost stopped as he saw blood hit the snow.


	19. Chapter 19

As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 9:  
** _Tuit seachd tursan, seas suas ochd tursan.  
_ Fall down seven times, stand up eight.

 **19-**

Colette saw Seles black out first. She dashed to Seles' side, managing to catch her before she fell over. Her mind was racing so fast with worries about Seles' health, she almost didn't hear the gasp of the sorcerers from behind her.

" _Th-the monster_ _…_ " " _No way._ " " _The girl was telling the truth_ _…"_

A groan from the young man in the corner put everyone on high alert, but he was simply cradling his head in his hand, trying to figure out what was going on. Colette knew logically what to expect, but seeing Orrison's frail body when her heart told her it was Zelos was unnerving. She supported Seles on her shoulder and ran to his side, kneeling down beside him.

"Zelos!"

"Colette?" He jerked his head up, seeing the two girls approaching him. " _S-Seles_?! What's going on? What's she doing here? Seles!"

Hearing her name pulled her out of the stupor that she'd fallen into, and Seles' eyes fluttered open momentarily. "Brother…? Oh, thank goodness… I was… so scared…"

"Seles, you're bleeding! What happened to you?"

"…d-don't worry about me…" She shook her head, pulling away from Colette and sitting up on her own. "…you were the one who… who…"

Seles couldn't finish the sentence, but Zelos realized immediately what she was talking about. He brought his hands up to his face, cheeks growing pale. "That's right. Orrison. The exsphere. _I_ did this. I did-" He lifted his eyes up to scan the immense damage that had been done to the hallway. "- _all_ of this."

"No! It wasn't your fault!" Colette threw her arms around his chest and pulled him close. "You didn't mean to do any of this! Don't blame yourself, _please_! It was all because of Orrison and the exsphere!"

"…Colette…"

"I'm so, _so_ sorry. I never should've left you like I did. I was so happy, so excited to be with you and know how you felt, that I couldn't get to sleep. But I didn't want to bother you. I didn't even think that while I was gone, all this would-"

"Don't blame yourself. Orrison was after you too. If you'd been there, things could've turned out worse." Zelos reached up to place a hand on the back of her head, stroking her hair. "Gods, I was so worried… Colette… _my darling Colette_ …"

Seles cleared her throat loudly. "Uh, excuse me? What about your sister- y'know, the one who just _saved your life_?"

"Ah!" Zelos and Colette broke apart, Colette moving immediately out of the way so that Zelos could be by his sister's side. "Sis, what are you doing here? How'd you know it was me?"

"How did I know it was you? Zelos, you're talking like this is some sort of silly halloween costume. Your body was _stolen-_ "

"-by a sociopath who wants to use my Cruxis Crystal to destroy the world. Yeah, I know." Zelos gently reached for Seles' injured arm, passing a hand over it to inspect the damage. "And now I can't even cast a spell to heal you. Somebody's gotta go after him. If he connects that converter to the comet like he's planning, it's _not_ going to be pretty. It'll wipe out all traces of life for miles around."

"Don't worry. He was with Lloyd and the others when we last saw him," Colette replied.

"Lloyd's here too?"

"Yeah." Colette nodded in reply. "He and-"

"MISTRESS SELES!"

The sound of Hazel's voice echoed through the hallway, and within a few moments Hazel, Sheena, and Genis had surrounded the group, kneeling down to make sure they were okay. Hazel's immediate attention was on Seles' arm, and she dove into the bag that she was carrying to find medical supplies that could help patch up the wound. Zelos looked back and forth between Sheena and Genis, trying to decide what to say.

"Sheena? Genis? …what are you guys doing here?"

"What are we doing here?!" Sheena grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. "What kinda question is that after your body was stolen and you were turned into a monster? We came to make sure stuff like this didn't happen, dammit!"

"I told the sorcerers who were here to go downstairs and report that the danger had been taken care of. Zelos, is it really you?" Genis asked, drawing closer. "I would never have recognized you like this."

Zelos crossed his arms and turned his head away. "Yeah, rub it in why don't you? Maybe I'm in a little over my head here- so what? How many times have I saved your butts? Too many to count!"

"That's not true!" Genis countered. "And anyway, shouldn't you be more grateful? If it weren't for us, you'd still be rampaging monster!"

" _Us?_ Who is _us_? Last time I checked, it was Seles and Colette who saved me. You just showed up and started taking credit for stuff!"

"Why you-"

Colette began to laugh, causing everyone to stop what they were doing and look at her. "C-Colette?" Sheena stammered. "Is everything okay?"

"I'm just so relieved that Zelos is safe. Even if he doesn't look like Zelos… he's still himself. That's what matters."

Zelos rolled his eyes. "Thanks, Colette. It's good to know that I can be identified by my temper-tantrums."

"I told you, I like everything about you." She giggled in reply, but suddenly opened her eyes in realization. "Wait a minute! Where's Lloyd?"

Zelos stood up, shaking some of the debris off of Orrison's cloak. "Yeah- wasn't he with you guys?"

"Lloyd went to check on Ida," Sheena replied. "He told us to stay with Colette and Seles."

"Ida?" Zelos frowned, looking over at Colette. "Who's Ida?"

Colette shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know."

"Ahaaaa, I get it." Zelos pointed over to her with a cheeky grin plastered on his face. " _Ida know_. That's funny."

"Huh? N-no, I…" Colette waved her hands. "…I really don't know who Ida is."

"Oh. Really? I thought you knew all of Lloyd's friends."

"I thought so too, but he's never mentioned her-"

"Lloyd doesn't know who Ida is," Seles broke in. "Nobody knows who Ida is. _Ida_ doesn't know who she is."

Zelos frowned. "She, uh, should probably see a doctor about that."

"She _has-_ " Sheena began to yell, but she soon decided it wasn't worth it and dropped her voice again. "Lloyd met Ida five days ago at the cafe where he works. She's suffering from amnesia, so he's helping her get back to her family. We're trying to focus on figuring out her real name first, and then we'll see if we can help restore her memories."

"I… see." Colette replied with the air of someone who didn't quite understand, but was willing to accept the situation regardless. "I'll try to help as much as I can, then!"

"H-hey! Don't forget, we have a serious situation going on right now." Zelos offered his hand to help Colette to her feet. "We can't let Orrison get his hands on that converter! If he does, he's going to cause a major disaster."

"Hazel and I will stay at the hotel for now," Seles spoke with a sigh. "I'm willing to admit when I'm no longer able to fight. Go find Lloyd and get my brother's body back."

"We will." Zelos nodded, glancing down at his wrist to look at the red mark where the exsphere had once been. "Orrison is _not_ going to get away with this."

* * *

Lloyd's heart almost stopped as he saw blood hit the snow. But… it wasn't Ida's.

It was Kratos'.

Kratos' reflexes were much faster than Lloyds, and he had seen Yuan's strike coming. He stood stiffly above Ida, arm outstretched to catch the attack from Yuan's blade. The blade had pierced the side of his arm, sending blood dripping down into the snow below, but Kratos didn't waver.

" _Put. Your weapon. Down_."

Yuan narrowed his eyes. "What are you doing?"

"It's pointless. Put your weapon down."

"I was just trying to end this before it got any worse. That's what you asked me to do, isn't it? Or, have you changed your mind?"

Ida was trembling, her face gone pale as she watched the blood drip down from Kratos' arm and land in the snow. Lloyd had fallen over when he'd lunged toward Ida, but he hadn't been able to pull himself to his feet yet.

"It's _too late_. _She's lost too much._ " Kratos cringed as he pulled his arm away, immediately covering the wound with his cloak to stop the bleeding. "There's no point anymore. Just stop."

"I knew it was going to end up this way. You're so predictable." Yuan sighed, lowering the weapon. "Remember, I like the cream-filled donuts, _not_ the custard-"

"Now's not the time for that. You go ahead to the storage unit and try to cut off that kid before he gets his hands on the exspheres. I'll go to our arranged meeting place in case he decides to go there first."

"Y-you mean Orrison?" Lloyd broke in, pulling himself to his feet. "Let me help! He-"

"Stay out of this, Lloyd," Yuan instructed. "It doesn't concern you. We have everything under control."

With that, he disappeared so quickly that the snow around him seemed to hang in the air momentarily before falling to the ground. Lloyd ran towards him, but was stopped by Kratos before he could get anywhere.

"But it _does-_ "

"Do as he says, Lloyd. Stay here and be safe." Kratos turned away. "This blizzard is only going to get worse. The visibility is becoming so bad, I'm worried enough about you getting back to the resort. Take _her_ and go."

"But-"

"Kratos! Wait!" Ida threw herself at him, looping her arms around his waist. "Don't go yet! I-I haven't thanked you properly-"

" _Get OFF of me_."

Kratos grabbed her shoulder and wrenched her from his side, tossing her into the snow beside him. Lloyd gasped and ran to her, grabbing hold of her arm, but she struggled against him.

"Wh-what are you talking about? Kratos, I don't understand! You saved me! Why would you-?"

"You want to know how to thank me?" Kratos spat in reply. "Stay away from me. Leave me in peace."

"But Kratos-"

" _I SAID STAY AWAY._ _"_

As Kratos disappeared, the sound of voices from behind them grabbed Lloyd's attention. However, he didn't have the ability to deal with them at the moment, he was too busy restraining Ida. She was crying by this point, squirming relentlessly in his grip.

"No! Please! I just need to-"

"Didn't you hear him? He wants to be left alone."

"But I love him! I can't just let him leave-"

"If you love him, you should respect his wishes."

"B-but he… I have to… I have to tell him-"

Before Lloyd could say anything else, someone had run up beside him and taken Ida's hands, pulling her from his grip.

"If there's someone you love, don't let him get away," she said, tightly grasping Ida's hands. "You never know what could happen or what you might regret in the future. You don't get a second chance. Go to him."

Tears filled the edges of Ida's eyes as she looked at the girl opposite her. "Th… thank you…" She paused and pulled her hands away, wiping her eyes. "I won't let myself be stuck with regrets. I'll find him."

"Mo-" Lloyd tried to call as he watched her disappear into the haze of snow, but he cut off as he realized that she could never hear him over the howling of the wind around them. Instead, he turned on his heels to express his frustration at its cause. "Colette! What do you think you're doing?!"

"No one should regret leaving someone they love behind." Colette shook her head. "Who was that, anyway?"

"That was my _mom_!" Lloyd grabbed hold of Colette's shoulders. "She was trying to go after Kratos, but she doesn't even know where he went! She's just going to wander aimlessly in this snowstorm-" He stopped as he saw the rest of the group, accompanied by Noishe. Sheena and Genis were there, plus a young man that Lloyd vaguely recognized but didn't have the energy to place at the moment. Letting go of Colette, he whistled for Noishe and held a hand up to pet him as he obediently approached. "Noishe, I told you to- er, forget it. It doesn't matter now. Just go find Mom and bring her back to the resort. _Please_. I'll be waiting."

Noise gave a yip and dashed off into the snow in the direction that Ida had run. Lloyd gave a sigh, falling to his knees and burying his head in his hands. It was too much all at once. He just couldn't take it.

Colette gasped and knelt down beside him. "Lloyd?!"

"Lloyd, what happened?" Sheena ran to his side as well, extending a hand to help him up. "What's going on with Ida and your mom? Where's Kratos and Yuan?"

With her help, Lloyd managed to stagger to his feet. Colette took his other hand, trying to offer support, and he nodded in her direction as thanks. "Let's get back to the resort before this blizzard gets any worse. I'll explain everything there."

"But what about Orrison?! We can't just let him get away!" The young man Lloyd hadn't recognized pushed his way to the front of the group. _Oh!_ It made sense now. He looked just like the guy who'd trained Lloyd when he first worked at the Lake Sinoa cafe. Which meant…

"Calm down, Zelos. Kratos and Yuan are making sure that Orrison isn't going anywhere. Let's get back to the resort and I'll explain everything."

* * *

Ida realized only a few moments after she'd left Lloyd and the others behind that she had no idea where she was going. And even if she did, she couldn't _see_ where she was going. The blizzard had picked up, and everything around her seemed to be concealed in white. The wind was whipping her hair around something awful, but it was so cold that she didn't want to take her arms away from her sides to fix it. She was exhausted and confused, and her world was spinning. But she had to find Kratos. _She had to see him._

A loud, sudden yip drew her attention away from her own thoughts. She began to turn around, but within a moment Noishe was already beside her, circling her and barking. He seemed to be corralling her in the opposite direction, and so she resisted.

"N-Noishe, please! I need to see Kratos!"

The animal gave a low, almost knowing bark. Ida wasn't sure what it meant, but as she stared at him, his tail began to wag and he looked back and forth in the direction he'd been leading her.

"Do you… know where Kratos is?"

Noishe repeated the same bark as before.

"Can you take me to him?"

This time, Noishe didn't bark. Instead he lowered his torso close to the ground, whining expectantly as he stared up at Ida. Remembering how Lloyd had come to save her earlier, she nodded in understanding and climbed onto Noishe's back. Once she was comfortable, he leapt to his feet and took off through the snow.

" _Thank you, Noishe_ _… I just need to see Kratos one more time…"_

* * *

Word of the incoming blizzard had spread, and those who were able to easily get off the mountain had already done so. The mountain hut at the sixth camp was abandoned, left as nothing but a dark and empty building, boards creaking against the pounding of the wind. Kratos lit a fire in the hearth, more for light than for heat, but he sat beside it anyway as he tended to his arm. The mountain hut had a well-stocked first aid kit, with everything needed to disinfect and bandage a wound. Kratos had considered trying to do so with magic, but it didn't hurt _that_ much, and he preferred to have something to do with his hands while he waited for news from Yuan or Orrison.

Whether it was from the cold or from what had just happened, his whole body felt numb. He didn't even register the sting of the alcohol as he ran it over the wound. He _did_ look over the bottle and briefly consider taking a swig, but quickly decided that was a bad idea. There was no sense in using up the camp's medical supplies for no reason, and he needed to be focused on dealing with the problem at hand.

Of course, the entire situation was making him foggy-headed, but surely alcohol would only make it worse. There would be time to grieve later.

He had only just finished bandaging his arm as he heard a knock on the door. Shoving the kit aside, he ran to open it, trying to figure out what he would say if it was the boy- or if it was Yuan. Either way, his first phrase would be the same.

"I've been waiting for yo-"

As it turned out, it was neither of the two.

"Kratos-"

Before she could get any further, he tried to slam the door shut. Noishe was having none of it, however, and wedged his body into the crack in the door to hold it open. He growled at Kratos, his tail flicking back and forth angrily, and Kratos got the message. He closed his eyes and sighed before opening the door all the way again.

"There's no point in standing out there in the snow. Come inside."

Ida and Noishe shuffled inside, and Kratos closed the door behind them. Ida stepped toward the hearth, but kept her eyes on Kratos. "Listen, I-"

"I said you could come in. I didn't say I was willing to talk to you."

"I know. I'm not asking for a conversation. I just wanted to apologize to you."

Kratos frowned. "Apologize? For what?" It wasn't like any of this was her fault. She hadn't asked to appear, hadn't asked to steal Anna's soul. When it came down to it, she was willing to do whatever was best for him and Lloyd. There was no need for her to apologize, so why-?

"For what I said earlier. Saying I was in love with you, I mean."

"For _that_?"


	20. Chapter 20

As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 13:  
** _A_ _' chungaidh leighis is goirte, 'Si is moth' tha deaneamh feum.  
_ The medicine that hurts the worst heals the best.

 **20-**

"Apologize? For what?" Kratos asked.

"For what I said earlier. Saying I was in love with you, I mean."

"For _that_?"

Ida nodded. "It made you uncomfortable. It made you not want to be around me. I could see it in your eyes when you shoved me aside. That wasn't my intention, and I… I'm sorry." She bowed her head and continued. "I don't know how much longer I'll be here to speak to you. You and Lloyd, and all the friends who've helped me… someday, maybe soon, I'm going to exist only in your memories. I don't want those memories to be uncomfortable or unhappy. If- _when_ -I disappear, I want to know that you'll continue smiling. So if it will make you smile, I'll take it back."

Kratos was quiet for a moment. "…take it back?" he finally asked. "What does that even mean?"

"It means I'll take back what I said to you."

"You can't _take back_ something you've already said. It's done. There's no way to undo it."

"M-maybe so," Ida looked down at her feet, clutching the hem of her coat, "but I _can_ change how I act in the future. For the sake of your future and mine, will you accept my apology? I don't need anything more than that. I just want you to know that I'm truly sorry."

A tense silence followed, punctuated eventually by the sound of Kratos' voice. It was a low, gasping sound that was so close between laughter and sobs that Ida couldn't tell which it was. She drew closer, trying to determine his emotion, but the hair in front of his bowed face hid any sign of what he was feeling.

"…Kratos?"

He didn't answer her right away, but after another moment, he placed his bandaged hand onto the table with a shaky sigh. "That's it. I give up. I can't do this anymore."

"Kratos?" Ida drew back. His words were grave, but there was laughter in his voice. He turned to face her and she almost jumped away, but the sight of the edges of his eyes stained red with tears held her in place even as he approached her. Noishe stood upright, tail raised in alert, but didn't move.

"I wanted so badly… for once in my life… to actually _do the right thing_." Kratos placed his hands on Ida's shoulders, bowing his head again. His hands were shaking, and she gently lifted one of hers to place on top of his. "I thought the right thing to do would be to protect your soul- to protect the exsphere that's always kept Lloyd safe. No matter what I wanted, no matter how much I wanted to be with you, to hold you, to keep you and never let go… I knew I couldn't. It wouldn't last. It would hurt you and it would hurt Lloyd. It would be selfish of me. And I thought after all that had happened, I'd finally left my selfishness behind. But…"

His hands slid down her arms and he rested his head on her shoulder instead. By some instinct, she reached up and cupped his cheeks in her hands.

"…I still couldn't do it. I threw the responsibility for doing the right thing onto Lloyd and you, just like I've _always_ done. I thought the absence of selfishness would be selflessness, but it's not. It's nothing. It doesn't help. And in the end, even my inactivity failed. I can't take it anymore. I'm done trying not to be selfish. Even if I have to watch you disappear; to lose you all over again, I can't help wanting to be by your side for as long as I can... In the end I'm choosing my happiness over your safety. I'm the one who should be apologizing to you. I'm so sorry."

Kratos raised his head slightly so that he could look at her, this time moving his hands to her cheeks the same as she was doing for him. There was a sadness in his eyes, a sense of hopelessness and defeat, and yet there was something else as well. Relief? Joy? Love?

" _Anna_ ," his voice was almost a whisper, " _even if it means sacrificing your soul, I want to be with you. W_ _ill you please forgive me for being so selfish_?"

"Kratos, you can't-" Her voice hitched in her throat as she spoke. "-you can't call it selfishness if it's what _I_ want too."

"Hah." Kratos' hands slid off her face and his mouth turned up into a smile. "How'd I know you were going to say something like that?"

Anna wanted to look at his smile for much longer- forever, if she could- but before she could respond with anything more, he wrapped his arms around her, tugging her in tightly. Memories came flooding through her mind all at once as she realized that the sensation of being held in his arms was a familiar one. It was the same as always, the way he held one hand against her upper back and another at her waist, the way he rested his chin against the top of her head, the way his warm chest moved softly with each breath...

As if by muscle memory, Anna reached her arms up around his neck, burying her hands in his hair and tilting her head so that her cheek was nuzzled against his neck. It was so comfortably familiar, she found herself speaking before she knew what she was saying.

"...I've missed this..."

Kratos slid his chin off her head, tilting his face downward so that the tips of their noses were touching. "You remember?"

"A little. I think part of me remembers, and part of me just... knows."

The words to ask exactly what she meant by that were on the tip of Kratos' tongue, but before he could do so, he found his lips otherwise occupied. It was so much like their first kiss- eagerly initiated by Anna, and yet still chaste and cautious, unsure of how far it would be safe to go or how long things would stay that way.

That's right. It was only temporary, wasn't it?

Years ago that first kiss had felt so daring, yet now the same act seemed underwhelming, as though they'd barely brushed lips. Kratos sighed sadly as Anna pulled away, speaking more to himself than to her.

"I'm sorry. I wish I knew how to make this last forever..."

Anna frowned, but she kept her eyes firmly locked on his. "You know, Lloyd said that he'd find a way to keep me from disappearing. If he does that, then we can be together forever."

"You really believe he can do that?"

"Of course. I believe Lloyd can do anything." There was still melancholy in her eyes, but Anna forced a smile anyway. "He's your son, after all."

Kratos shook his head. "I agree that Lloyd seems to be able to beat any odds, but... he didn't inherit it from me. That's something he got from you."

There was a pause.

"…Lloyd…" Anna whispered. Her hands shook and her eyes began to fill with tears. Kratos stiffened as he heard her sniffle, choking on her words as she continued. "…my baby… _my precious Lloyd_ …"

"Anna? Are you okay?"

"I remember now. He was so small. But…" She wiped her face with her hands, trying to keep her composure. "…he's so tall now… he's grown up to be so strong and noble… my little boy is a man, and he… he's so much like _you_ …"

"No, Anna. Don't say that. Lloyd is so much better than that. He's so much _more_ than that." Kratos placed his hands over hers, helping to wipe the tears off her face. "Since we lost you, Lloyd and I have never quite seen eye to eye. We were separated for years. We can't understand each other. Sometimes I think he just doesn't want to be around me-"

"That's not true!"

"What?"

"Lloyd _loves_ you, Kratos!" Anna hugged him again. "He _wants_ to understand you. He wants you to understand him. More than anything, he wants to be able to spend time with his father and enjoy himself, to feel like the two of you can recapture what you had back before his mom-" She stopped. "-before _I_ … well, 'yknow."

Kratos let out a long sigh. It felt too good to be true. "Lloyd already has a father."

"He does. He has Dirk and he always will. That's why he's worried about _you._ " Anna nodded, her hair brushing against Kratos' chest. "He wants to feel the same way about you- to know he'll have you and always will. He wants to be your son for you, Kratos. He was so disappointed when you canceled your plans for the festival, because he… he _misses_ you."

Kratos laughed quietly. "That's right. Because dwarves traditionally live underground and don't celebrate celestial events."

"No. Because he wants to spend time with _you_." Her hands gripped the back of his shirt. "Please, Kratos, will you try to connect with him? If you make an effort, I promise that he will too. He wants nothing more than to be a family again."

"A family, huh?" Kratos placed a hand on the top of her head. "I'd like nothing more than that too."

They stayed like that a little longer, neither one wanting to move. Kratos rocked back and forth on his feet, pulling Anna along with him and running a hand through her hair. Noishe stretched out on the floor, staring up at the two with his tail wagging so fast that it was a blur. But, of course, neither Kratos nor Anna were bothering to look at anything except one another.

Just like before, their second kiss was of Kratos' own volition. However, unlike their still-nervous second kiss of long ago, Kratos no longer had any fears to keep his emotions in check. Anna drew in a sharp breath as she felt his teeth scrape over her bottom lip when he deepened the kiss. Feeling her hesitation, he almost pulled away, but before he had time to panic, she threw herself fully into the embrace, into the kiss, into his mouth until _he_ was the one embarrassed by how swept up he was getting in the fervor of her reaction. Her fingernails were pressing into his skin, and the sensation was driving chills up his spine while his heart was being sent into a flurry by the feeling of her lips and her tongue against his own…

And just like that, it was over, the two gasping for breath and loosening their grip on one another as they exchanged a look full of excitement, embarrassment, satisfaction, and elation, among other things. They both smiled, laughed, opened their mouths to speak and then closed them again as words failed them. There was really only one proper response to a kiss like that: _another kiss_.

As they dove into each other once again, it became clear to Noishe that neither was paying attention to their surroundings. His tail stopped wagging, instead standing straight up in alarm, and his eyes darted over to the window. Within moments, the sound of Noishe's low growl had broken through Kratos and Anna's fervor, and they stopped what they were doing to look.

"…Noishe?" Anna ventured. "Is something wrong-?"

"Someone's coming." Kratos grabbed her shoulder and shoved her away from the door, stepping forward to shield her. "Stay behind me."

"What-?"

Almost as if on cue, the door burst open, bringing with it a flurry of wind and snow. The man who had opened it struggled to close it again, but once he did, his silhouette sharpened into a clear view, including the bright orange wings that adorned his back. Anna gasped and she heard Kratos murmur the name " _Zelos_ _…?_ "

"It's an emergency!" The young man wasted no time in running up to Kratos, shaking the snow off of his coat. "The prophet has abandoned me and your angel companion betrayed me! Nothing's going according to plan- you _have_ to help!"

Kratos held up one hand to keep Orrison at arm's length. "Ch-chosen one…" he murmured, trying to wrap his head around what was happening. "…that body is…"

"Yes, I know. It's not mine. But it's the only way I could get the Cruxis Crystal." Orrison held up his own exsphere for Kratos to see. "Zelos wouldn't give his Cruxis Crystal to me like I'd hoped, so I used my exsphere to connect with his and exchange physical forms. I didn't want it to come to that, but he left me no choice."

"I see that." Kratos narrowed his eyes. "And what of Yuan? You said that he betrayed you?"

"Yes! I went to retrieve the exspheres like I promised, but he appeared at the storage facility and blocked me from entering. He demanded that I give him the key to the unit and tried to fight me for it, so I fled…" Orrison began to wring his hands. "I didn't know what to do. I came here hoping that you could help. Please, I don't understand what's going on. All I want is to fulfill my mission."

Kratos ground his teeth. " _Dammit, Yuan_ _…"_ he muttered under his breath. "Don't worry. I had planned for this. I've known for a long time that Yuan has traitorous tendencies, but I assumed he would wait longer than this to show them. Give me a moment and I'll return with you to the storage unit."

"Thank you." Orrison bowed respectfully. "I'm glad I can count on you."

Anna shifted her weight and peeked out at Orrison. "Kratos," she whispered, "what's going on?"

"Stay here, Anna. This shouldn't take long." He placed a hand on her shoulder and nodded in her direction before walking over to the other side of the room to retrieve his sword. Anna reached out to him tentatively.

"Kratos, your arm…"

"I'll be fine. It's not that bad."

Orrison inched closer to Anna, offering her a smile. "You're a very brave hiker to be on the mountain in weather like this. You must really want to see the comet tonight."

"O-oh, I'm not a hiker." Anna waved her hands.

"No? Then what are you doing on the mountain at a time like this?"

"That's… um, a good question…" She paused, glancing over to Kratos to see if he would give her any cues about what she could reveal. He wasn't paying attention, however, too busy going through his belongings in search of something, so she decided to change the subject. "If I may ask, Mister, uh…"

"Orrison."

"Mister Orrison. You and Kratos said that you, uh, _exchanged bodies_ with someone named Zelos. Does that mean that the body you're in now is actually Zelos'?"

Orrison nodded. "Yes, that's correct. I didn't mean for him to come to any harm, I just-"

"You do look like her."

"Pardon?"

"Zelos' sister. I can see the resemblance."

Orrison responded with a laugh. "No, no. Colette isn't really his sister. They can't be- they're from different worlds. It was just a disguise they used at the resort to hide their identities. I'm not sure why, so I just played along."

"Colette?" Anna frowned, trying to figure out what to make of his statement. She hadn't been talking about Colette, but she did know what they were doing. "They probably disguised themselves because they were on a secret mission to save the world from some bad guy who wants to destroy it!"

There was a pause. Orrison's face grew noticeably pale. "Some… _bad guy._ Is that so?"

"Yeah! Just like Yuan and Kratos!"

The speed with which Kratos turned around to them proved that he had, indeed, been paying attention to their conversation. Orrison's eyes darted over to him and their gazes met momentarily. Kratos felt his stomach lurch as he saw the panic begin to take hold in Orrison's eyes. Orrison took a step back, his voice shaky as he spoke.

"Y-you're tricking me… just like Zelos did…"

He scrambled over to the door, but before he could get there, he found it blocked. Noishe crouched beside the door, the fur on his back raised and a low growl emanating from his throat. Orrison turned back around to see Kratos approaching.

"What happened to the real Zelos Wilder?" Kratos demanded.

"I-I didn't mean to hurt him! Honest!" Orrison shook his head. "But I needed to get that exsphere off of him. I need all that I can get, and… I didn't know that, when Colette said he'd turn into a monster, that he _literally_ would-"

"A monster?!" Anna shrieked. "When was this? Where is he? Do Lloyd and the others know-?!"

"Yes, they know. That's why they left me alone. They've probably already taken care of the situation…"

"… _t-taken care_ …" Anna staggered backwards. Kratos ran to catch her, too focused on what Orrison was saying to respond right away. "You mean that his friends… the people who love him… would be forced to… to…"

"I didn't mean it, I didn't mean it." Orrison continued to shake his head. He stepped back, running into Noishe and eliciting a warning bark. The sound spurred Anna into action, reaching her hand back and grabbing the hilt of Kratos' sword. Before Kratos could do anything, she had already started swinging at Orrison, driving Noishe away from the door and giving him the chance to escape into the snow.

Anna wasn't wearing gloves. Her coat was unbuttoned, her scarf was almost falling off her neck, and the laces on her boots were haphazardly untied. But she didn't seem to notice- or care- about how unprepared she was to run out into the snowstorm. She was too concerned with getting to Orrison.

"HOW COULD YOU?! TO TURN SOMEONE INTO A MONSTER, MAKE THEM FIGHT AGAINST THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILY-"

The mountain hut was nestled against a rock wall near where the trail started a steep ascent up the mountainside. Orrison tried to fly up the trail, but he found that the wind was too strong for him to navigate, and his bright orange wings were acting as nothing but a beacon to lead Anna to him. Instead, he began running up the trail, holding his arm above his head to keep the snow from piling on his shoulders. Anna was following, swinging Kratos' sword left and right. She wasn't thinking, she was just acting, and Orrison suddenly realized that she was more of a danger to herself than a danger to him. Stopping abruptly at the side of a ledge, he turned around and called out.

"MISS ANNA!" He couldn't see her through the snow, but he tried to get her attention. "PLEASE, IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, PUT THE SWORD DOWN AND RELAX FOR A MOMENT. YOU SHOULDN'T BE OUT HERE IN THE-"

He caught sight of her just split seconds before she reached him, and so he managed to duck under her swing. As long as he dodged, he should be okay, but-

" _AGH!_ _"_

The blade of the sword cut just above his cheek as he tried to turn around. Instinctively, he reached out and grabbed one of Anna's arms to push her to the ground. However, she somersaulted forward and landed a kick in his abdomen. Orrison choked, propelled backwards, and flailed his arms wildly to grasp hold of the nearby rock wall. He knew that if he fell off the cliff, he could just fly, but… he didn't want to chance it. A sigh of relief escaped as he steadied himself along the side of the mountain, but it didn't last long. Anna had swerved to strike a blow toward Orrison, and he held up a hand in self-defense.

But the blow never came.

The sound of a snow drift giving way and a following yelp cause Orrison to open his eyes again. He saw only a red blur, but he knew what it meant and didn't waste any time.

His gloved hands met hers somewhere off the face of the cliff. The sword had fallen away and Anna was dangling over the edge, breathing heavily as she seemed to realize the situation she was in.

"D-don't let go of my hands!" Orrison ordered. He was surprised at the strength of Zelos' body as he easily hoisted Anna from the side of the cliff and onto solid ground. She was shivering, dazed, mumbling something about "… _I_ _'m so sorry, Lloyd… so sorry, Kratos… I didn't mean to hurt you… I didn't mean it…_ "

"Shh. It's okay." Orrison reached out and buttoned Anna's coat before wrapping her scarf snugly around her neck. The sound of a nearby voice caught his attention, however, and he realized that he had to get out of there- _now_.

" _Anna! Anna!_ "

Kratos caught up and knelt down beside her, grabbing hold of her shoulders. She looked up at him with a gasp, wide-eyed.

"He's getting away!" Anna scrambled to her feet- or at least, she tried to. But as soon as she put pressure on her left ankle, she let out a cry and collapsed back onto the ground. "W-we can't let him… not for… for Zelos' sake… for Lloyd's sake…"

Kratos noticed the tan coat that was wrapped around her shoulders. It was Orrison's- or, Zelos', really. Had he…?

"Don't worry, Anna. It's okay. I'm here. Lloyd is okay. You're okay." Kratos wrapped his arms around her and carried her with him back to the cabin.

Warm in his arms, the stress of the situation and the effects of the cold could safely take their toll, and Anna closed her eyes, letting her head rest against his chest.

Somehow, in the midst of the fear, the panic, the frightening memories… Kratos made her feel safe.


	21. Chapter 21

As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 31:**  
 _Chan eil tuil air nach tig traoghadh._  
Every flood will have an ebb.

 **21-**

When Anna awoke, she found herself propped up in a chair with someone wrapping a thick bandage around her injured ankle. She looked down and was surprised to see a head of blue hair.

"Yuan?"

"Oh, you're awake." Yuan looked up and smiled. "Kratos will be happy to see that when he gets back." He finished attaching the bandage and stood up, motioning to the fireplace. "Are you warm enough? You're still probably suffering the initial effects of hypothermia, but thankfully there's no sign of frostbite in your hands.

Anna ignored the second half of his statement. "Gets back? Where did Kratos go?"

"To find his sword. The one you dropped, remember?"

"Oh." Anna looked down at the floor in embarrassment. "I-I dropped it when I almost fell…"

"Don't worry. He's placed a magical marker on it so that he can find it if it ever gets lost. He does that with most of his important possessions." Yuan stepped closer to the hearth, retrieving a canteen of water from Kratos' belongings and offering it to her. "You look dehydrated. You should probably drink somethi-" He stopped as he saw her flinch in reaction to his movement. "Don't worry about me. If Kratos has decided that you're Anna, then you're Anna, and I'm a dead man if I lay a hand on you. So drink up or he'll yell at me, 'kay?"

"Th-thank you…" Anna accepted the canteen and took a few tentative sips. The lukewarm water burned against her chilled lips, but she realized at once how much she needed it and gulped the rest of it down eagerly. "When did you get here, anyway?"

"I tried to chase Zel- er, _Orrison_ up here, but I wasn't fast enough." Yuan took the empty canteen from her and returned it to Kratos' bag. "By the time I reached the cabin, I found the door wide open and Noishe barking up a storm. It wasn't long after that, Kratos returned carrying you. He explained the situation to me and told me to tell you not to worry about Orrison getting away. I made sure the storage facility was locked up tight, and he can't do anything without that converter. Once we dismantle it, the threat will be totally gone."

Silence followed. Anna nodded her head, but she wasn't looking at Yuan. She was too engrossed in her own thoughts to say anything just yet, and when she finally decided on what to say, it wasn't at all relevant to the conversation.

"U-um, Yuan… can I ask you a question? It's something I'd rather not talk to Kratos about, but I need to know…"

"Of course you can ask a question." Yuan shrugged. "I can't guarantee I'll answer, but you can always ask."

"…I was turned into a monster, right? I attacked Lloyd, right?"

Yuan was silent for a moment. "Yes," he finally murmured, "Anna was turned into a monster.

"And the one who killed me… was Kratos, right?"

The moment of silence that followed was longer and more tense than the first. Yuan answered, stone-faced and unwilling to look at her. "He only did what Anna asked him to in order to protect Lloyd."

"I know. I'm grateful to him." She bowed her head, hair falling into her face as she looked down at her feet. "He says that he's always been selfish, but that sounds to me like a very selfless thing to do."

Yuan shrugged. "I mean, it's not like he had a choice."

"He did. There's always a choice. And, much as he seems to think otherwise, Kratos isn't the kind of person to choose selfishly."

A moment passed and Yuan gave a soft laugh. "Interesting perspective. You don't have any memories of what happened after Anna died, do you?"

She shook her head. "No."

"Talk to Lloyd. Talk to some of his friends. You'll find that Kratos is better at being selfish than you might think."

Anna crossed her arms and pouted. "You're so mean to him. You've always been so mean to him. Why are you working with him, anyway?"

Yuan's laughter grew, resonating through the small cabin. "Why, indeed? That's a good question! I wonder that myself, sometimes!"

His last sentence was almost inaudible, drowned out by the sound of the wind as the door to the cabin opened and closed. Noishe bounded in and paused to shake the snow off his fur, eliciting a yelp from Kratos who was already closing the door behind them. He hadn't been too distracted to hear the tail end of Yuan's speech, however.

"What's a good question?" Kratos asked, brushing the snow off his shoulders.

"Why we're working together," Yuan replied, gesturing back and forth between them. "Inquiring minds want to know."

"Is that so?" Kratos cracked a half-smile, but his expression regained its stern appearance as he moved to look at Anna. He approached her and placed one hand on her shoulder, the other pinching her cheek and tugging on it. "What were you _thinking_ , running off like that in the state you were in?"

"Ow, ow, ow…" Anna could only groan until Kratos finally let go of her cheek. Once freed, she reached up to rub her cheek and spoke in a near-whisper. "I'm sorry, Kratos… I don't know what came over me. When I heard what happened to Zelos, I couldn't help thinking of how Seles- how all his family and friends- would react. And then I remembered what happened to me. How you and Lloyd reacted. I couldn't do anything. I was powerless to save you from myself. And I wanted to, to… destroy anyone who would make a person feel the pain that we felt."

"…Anna…" Kratos murmured. He couldn't think of anything else to say.

"But I know now that I can't do anything about what happened! Not to me and not to Zelos- that's all in the past now!" She forgot about her injured ankle and tried to stand up. Immediately, she lost her balance and fell against Kratos, but he caught her and she placed her hands against his arms to steady herself. "I have to work toward the future! I have to make sure that the world is safe for people like you and Lloyd and Seles to continue living. So, please, tell me what I need to do! Whatever it takes, I want to protect this world and the people in it!"

Kratos' expression softened as he looked down at her. Anna was leaning heavily into his arms as she tried to keep her weight off her ankle, so he gripped her closer, supporting her against his chest. Leaning down, he moved to kiss her forehead, but she saw what he was doing and tilted her face to catch his lips on hers instead. She caught him off-guard, and it took a moment for him to match her enthusiasm. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, causing him to break and resume the kiss momentarily, speaking the name " _…Anna_ …" almost in a laugh.

Yuan cleared his throat conspicuously, shuffling toward the door to get their attention. However, the two completely failed to acknowledge him, lost in their own world. Yuan glanced over to Noishe, who was watching quietly with a wagging tail, and sighed.

 _Yep. They_ _'ve forgotten that we're here._

With subtle hints not producing any responses, Yuan approached the couple, clapped his hands, and gave them both a slap on the shoulder. "I hate to interrupt, but we _do_ still have a crisis on our hands. We need to take further action, or our efforts so far might be wasted."

The interruption caught both of their attention. Anna faced Yuan with an apologetic smile, but Kratos looked away, speaking more to the wall than to Yuan.

"O-of course. I would suggest that our next move be inspecting the storage unit and investigating the converter. We need to know exactly how it's built and how it works."

"I was thinking the same thing," Yuan replied. He kept shifting to the right slightly in an attempt to see just how red Kratos' face really was, but Kratos kept turning his head further away, and Yuan eventually gave up, walking across the room to gather his belongings. "The sooner that weapon is dismantled, the better."

"Dismantled?" Kratos looked up, the blush in his cheeks having mostly disappeared. "We can't do that yet."

"Why not? The longer it exists, the longer that the danger of a meltdown exists."

"But you're forgetting one important thing." Kratos helped Anna to sit back down, kneeling in front of her to tie the laces on her boots. She tried to protest and take charge herself, but Kratos was determined, and she knew that there was no changing his mind about something like that. He continued to speak as he tightened the knots. "That priest brat is still out there, and he has _Zelos Wilder_ _'s_ body. If we destroy the object that he's after, then he has no reason to stay in this area. He could flee to anywhere in Tethe'alla- Meltokio, Altamira- and claim the Chosen's identity."

Anna frowned, gripping the arms of the chair she was sitting in. "Zelos is well-known, isn't he?"

"Yes. Well-known and beloved. There are a lot of people who would blindly follow Zelos should he give them orders. If Orrison realizes his new position of power, he could misuse it in many ways."

Yuan frowned and crossed his arms. "So you're saying that we should _leave_ that deadly weapon as it is just to lure this guy back?"

"Yes. That's exactly what I'm saying."

There was a pause following Kratos' response. Yuan scratched the back of his head and sighed. "Well, as long as he's out there somewhere, we can't just ignore him. I'll go back to the storage facility and figure out what we can do to increase security in these conditions."

"Good. In the meantime, I'll take Anna back to the resort and explain the situation to Lloyd and his friends. After what Orrison did to Zelos, they deserve to know that he's still on the run-"

"It's all my fault." Anna curled up in the chair, hugging her knees to her chest. "I'm the one who accidentally blew your cover and chased him away. I'm so sorry, Kratos, Yuan."

"Don't worry about it. What's done is done." Yuan waved a hand at her dismissively. "It's probably best if you just focus on getting back to Lloyd and his group, where you belong."

Kratos threw a pointed glare at Yuan, but Anna didn't seem to have any arguments against his statement.

"Oh, Lloyd. I hope he's okay…"

Yuan bade the two farewell, heading back out into the snow with a more serious demeanor. Kratos, meanwhile, collected both his and Anna's belongings and handed them over to Noishe.

"Can I trust you to hold onto these while I help Anna?"

Noishe didn't move from his seated spot across from Kratos. He tilted his head and gave a little whine. Kratos sighed in resignation, recognizing the stubborn look in Noishe's eyes.

"Can I _please_ trust you to hold onto these while I help Anna?"

Again, no reaction from Noishe beyond a low whine and a tilt of his head to the opposite direction.

"I said _please._ What more do you want from me, Noishe?"

 _Whine._

"Noishe!"

 _Whine_.

Kratos rolled his eyes and sighed in resignation, setting the pack back down on the floor. "This is silly. I'm not going to stand here all day having an argument with my dog ov-"

A loud yip from Noishe cut his sentence off, and before he was aware what was happening, the canine had pounced on him, eagerly licking his face.

"N-Noishe! Noishe, cut it out! Noishe, please-"

At the sound of Kratos' protesting, Noishe drew back, leaning down to slip his head into the strap of the pack. Satisfied with it hanging from his neck, he positioned himself at the door, tail wagging and eyes watching Kratos for further instructions. Anna laughed while Kratos groaned- a familiar pair of reactions for the both of them. Kratos wondered if perhaps he and Anna weren't the only family members who'd contributed to Lloyd's stubbornness.

For once, Anna gave no protests about walking by herself. With the weather like it was, and her ankle hurting something awful, she was perfectly content to let Kratos carry her back to the hotel. It was such a warm, familiar feeling, having her arms draped around his neck and her head resting on his shoulder. As desperate as she was to be with their son again, part of her didn't want this closeness between them to end.

"Hey," Kratos spoke after walking for a while, having to turn his head to make sure she could hear him over the wind, "can I ask you something?"

"Sure," she murmured, half-asleep, "what is it?"

"Well, I never asked you what you want to be called."

"Huh?" The surprise of the statement brought her out of her stupor. "What do you mean?"

"I started calling you Anna without even asking whether you preferred it to _Ida_ …"

Anna tightened her grip on his neck, tilting her head so that she could speak directly into his ear. "Anna is my name. I _am_ Anna, and that's what I want to be called. But, at the same time, Ida is a name Lloyd gave me, so… it's special to me and I don't want to forget about it. I like it."

She was surprised to hear Kratos laugh in response to her statement. "Really? And here I thought you said you hated the name Ida."

" _What_? When would I have said-?!"

"It was a long time ago." Kratos shook his head, cutting her off before she had a chance to argue. "If you don't remember, don't worry about it. Just rest for now."

Anna frowned, but with exhaustion pulling at her from almost every direction, she wasn't going to protest. She leaned her head back onto Kratos' shoulder and closed her eyes, letting his warmth lull her back into the half-sleep she'd been in earlier. "I love you, Kratos," she whispered.

"I love you too, Anna."

* * *

Hazel was in the lobby helping serve hot cocoa to the displaced resort guests when Colette burst in the door. Her friends had been waiting for her, and they all turned at once to speak- however, they couldn't get a word in edgewise over her.

"Y-you guys, I don't know what to do! Lloyd won't budge! I spent that whole time out there trying to convince him to come inside, but the best I could do was get him to take my scarf. He didn't even want any hot cocoa… he said he wasn't going to move until Noishe and his mom come back. But what if something happened to them? What if he stays out there all night and freezes?! I wish I knew what to do-"

By that point, Genis had jumped to his feet and run to Colette's side to calm her down. "Take it easy, Colette. You know how stubborn Lloyd can be once he gets his mind set on something. Everyone's stressed out. We should give him some space."

"While that's true, I'm afraid that Master Lloyd isn't dressed for subzero temperatures," Hazel broke in. "Even if he's out of the snow, the wind chill exposed to his skin is putting him at risk of hypothermia. He really needs more than a windbreaker and a scarf."

"But what can we do?" Colette wrung her hands. "Nothing I said to him made any difference."

Seles leaned over the back of the couch to address them. "You're too nice, Colette. You've gotta forcefully _drag_ him inside."

Colette gasped. "D-drag him? I couldn't-"

"Colette's just fine the way she is, sis." Zelos gave Seles a gentle tap on the shoulder. "If she's not comfortable dragging Lloyd around, then let someone else do the dragging."

"Oh? And who do you suggest? Your current physique isn't exactly optimal for dragging people around."

Zelos thought it over for a moment. " _Sheena_ is good at dragging grown men around. Why not get her to do it?"

" _Hey!_ "

Sheena set her mug of cocoa aside to slap at Zelos, but Colette stepped between them before a fight could break out. "That's right! Sheena, Lloyd really likes you. I'm sure if _you_ ask him nicely, he'll come inside. Please, will you try?"

Zelos gave a dramatic gasp. "What's this now? _Lloyd_ likes _Sheena_? Scandalous! Why wasn't I informed-?"

"Y-you know what she meant!" Sheena managed a slap to Zelos' hand before standing up. "Don't worry, Colette. I'll see what I can do."

The front of the resort was covered by an elaborate canopy, held up by towering columns with intricate floral designs. Sheena found Lloyd standing with his back pressed against one of the columns, staring out into the blank landscape. It was hard to hear over the powerful wind, and Sheena pulled her coat tighter so that she could approach Lloyd closely enough to speak to him.

"Hey, Lloyd?"

Her voice startled him and he spun around. "Sheena? Don't tell me that Colette sent you out here to drag me inside-"

"N-no, I-" Sheena began, taking a moment to process what he'd said. "-wait, how'd you know that? F-forget it. I just want to talk. Is that okay?"

Lloyd shrugged, heaving a sigh that manifested into a cloud of condensation that was blown away from his mouth just as quickly as it had formed. "Sure. It's not like I've got anything better to do right now."

He turned back around to face the landscape, so Sheena stepped into line beside him. "What's going on with you? Is it something you can't even tell _Colette_ about?"

Lloyd shook his head. "It's not quite like that. I love Colette, but the fact that she wants to solve everybody's problems makes her hard to be honest with sometimes. I don't want her trying to fix my family situation while she's got the whole trouble with Zelos going on."

"That makes sense." Sheena nodded. "How about this? If I promise just to listen and not try to fix everything, could I pick your brain a little?"

"…" Lloyd glanced away. "…I don't want to saddle you with my problems either."

"That's what I'm here for, isn't it?"

"Pardon?" He turned his head to face her.

"I came to Flanoir to be here for my friends. That includes you." She placed a hand on his shoulder. "We can't fix your problems for you. But if you tell your friends what's going on, maybe we can help you confront them. That's what Colette was trying to do too. Please, Lloyd, will you trust us?"

Lloyd was quiet for a moment. He had pressed his lips together, thinking it over, and finally sighed.

Sheena wasn't ready for the intensity of his answer.

"I just- just- can't _believe_ how _stupid_ I've been all this time! Like, like, like… my _mom_ has been right here the whole time, and I didn't even realize it! I mean, I _did_ realize it, but I didn't really understand it. I thought there was no way that she could be… w-well, _her_! And now what's going to happen? Am I going to lose my mom _again_? And this time, will it be _my fault_?! Kratos is angry with me now; imagine how it'll be when he finds out that I let her just _wander off_ into the arctic wilderness alone! How will I be able to face him? How will I be able to face _myself_? I… I don't know what to do."

By this point, Lloyd had collapsed against the column he was standing next to, resting his forehead against the cold marble. He waited to hear something from Sheena, dreading to hear her yell at him, or worse, _pity_ him. But that wasn't what he heard.

"Do you feel better now?"

Lloyd slowly lifted his head from the column, looking back at her. "…yeah, actually I do. It didn't solve anything, but I feel… a little warmer, at least." He stopped, pausing to sneeze and wipe his nose with the back of his hand. "My fingers are numb."

"Please come inside, Lloyd. You're going to get sick if you stay out here. I know you're worried about your mother, but-"

Momentarily, the sound of the wind was broken by a loud howl. Sheena stiffened, fearing suddenly that it might be a wolf, but Lloyd recognized it immediately. He jumped away from the column, and ran out into the snow.

"NOISHE!"

"W-wait! Lloyd!" Sheena ran out after him, but she didn't have to run far. Lloyd had met up with Noishe, who corralled him back under the cover of the resort's canopy. Lloyd had taken a bag from around Noishe's neck and was examining it.

"Where did you get this, Noishe? Isn't this Kratos'…?"

"Lloyd!" Sheena caught up to him, placing a hand on his shoulder and gesturing back out into the snow. Lloyd turned around and dropped the bag abruptly.

" _KRATOS! MOM!_ "

Kratos had seen the lights of the resort from a short distance away and prompted Noishe to run ahead. He hadn't realized, however, that there were people waiting at the entrance, so the sound of Lloyd's voice caught him off-guard. _Has he been waiting here for us? The idiot! He_ _'ll freeze!_

Stepping under the cover and out of the snow was a relief, and Kratos sighed before nudging Anna, who was asleep with her head on his shoulder. Lloyd was watching from a short distance away, his eyes wide with what looked like fear. Seeing Anna unconscious had probably startled him.

"Anna? Hey, wake up. Your son wants to see you."

"…mmm?" Anna lifted her head from Kratos' shoulder, rubbing her eyes as she looked around. Kratos helped her slide back to the ground, keeping one arm around her to steady her, but as soon as she saw Lloyd, she dashed off in his direction. It was lucky that Lloyd was close enough to catch her, as she toppled over immediately after putting pressure on her bandaged ankle. She fell into his arms and he scooped her up, both talking at once.

"Mom! Oh, thank goodness-" " _Oh Lloyd_ _… my precious Lloyd…_ " "-I was so scared that something had happened to you-" " _…you've been here all this time and I didn't even know_ …" "-and I just could never forgive myself if I lost you again-" "… _you helped me so much and still_ _I didn_ _'t remember you…_ " "-please, please don't do anything so rash again-" "… _I was so worried about finding my baby, and here you were_ _…"_ "-for your sake and mine, you have to stay safe…" "… _my little boy_ _… my Lloyd… thank you…"_

 _Thank you._

The two had dissolved into a crying mess, Anna leaning on Lloyd's shoulder and Lloyd's arms wrapped tightly around her. They pulled away from each other slowly, and Anna reached up to wipe a tear off Lloyd's cheek. Lloyd laughed despite himself, and Anna mirrored him. For that moment, it was as if no one else existed.

But, of course, that wasn't the case.

" _Lloyd Irving,_ what do you think you're _wearing_?" Seeing them breaking from their reverie, Kratos grabbed the back of Lloyd's shirt and tugged on it. "How long have you been out here dressed like this? You're going to catch a cold."

"H-hey, hey! Let go!" Lloyd twisted his shoulders, trying to wriggle out of Kratos' grip without taking his support away from Anna. "I was worried about you guys, okay? I'm not the one who was running around in the snow! And anyway, it's not _that_ cold…"

Kratos scoffed, glancing over at Anna and then back at Lloyd. "You're just like your mother."

"Miss, uh, Anna, we should go inside." Sheena stepped forward, taking Anna's arm and tugging it around her shoulder to support her. "We can talk more once we're out of the cold."

"Thank you, Sheena. I appreciate it."

"C'mon, Lloyd. Kratos." Sheena motioned, and accompanied Anna inside the front entrance. Noishe bounded after them, glancing only briefly back at the two men. Lloyd ran to follow, but Kratos reached out and grabbed his shoulder.

"Lloyd. Once we're inside, may I talk to you… privately?"

Lloyd paused. He felt a chill as he saw the serious look in his father's eyes.

"Sure…"


	22. Chapter 22

As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 42:  
** _Tha neart ann an aonachd.  
_ There is strength in unity.

 **22-**

Lloyd and Kratos stayed behind in the entry hall while the others continued into the lobby. Lloyd hadn't realised how long he'd been out in the snow, as it felt like his whole body was sighing in relief at the building's warmth. His fingers were stiff as he moved them back and forth, and the skin on his nose still stung, but he knew that this wasn't the time to be worrying about the cold. Kratos hadn't spoken yet, watching Lloyd as though he expected his son to start the conversation that he, himself, had requested. Too relieved about Anna's safety to be angry just yet, Lloyd spoke up.

"So, tell me- what's the deal with you and mom now? Are you here to apologise for trying to kill her before?"

"No." Kratos shook his head. "I feel I have no reason to apologise, as I don't regret my former intentions."

"Then why-"

"But what's done is done. There's no turning back from the actions that have and haven't been made. I'm not here to apologise for what happened in the past, but rather to ask for forgiveness for future actions."

Lloyd narrowed his eyes. "Future actions? Like what?"

Kratos paused before answering, taking a deep breath. "I chastised you earlier for being selfish, putting your desire to be with Anna over your concern for her prolonged wellbeing. I do genuinely believe that preventing that body from taking her soul was the right thing to do, but… I didn't act on it. You said you would protect her, and I didn't stop you."

"Yeah." Lloyd nodded. "You _didn_ _'t_."

"But because of my inaction, Anna is here with us now." Kratos cleared his throat. "It may seem hypocritical after all that I've said, but I want to… er, that is…"

 _Hypocritical?_ A smile spread across Lloyd's lips as he realized what Kratos was trying to say. "C'mon, out with it! You want to _what_?"

"I would like… er, I'd like it if you would… forgive me for being selfish. I've received her forgiveness, but I wanted to ask you as well. I would like to be selfish with her presence too."

Lloyd couldn't help laughing. He rested his head in one hand, leaning against the wall. "There! Was that so hard for you to say? You were acting nervous, like you really thought I'd be angry with you!"

"You're not?"

"Of course not, _Dad._ I'm actually really happy."

"Lloyd, you…" Kratos glanced away, focusing on the sight of the snow falling on the other side of the windowpane. "…you don't have to put on an act for me. I'm not asking to be your father. You have Dirk for that. I'm only asking that you share your mother's company with me."

Lloyd gave him a sharp slap on the side of the arm, causing Kratos to jump. "Of _course_ you don't have to ask to be my father, silly! You _are_ my father!" He sighed and took a step back, closing his eyes in thought. "To spend the festival happily, with you by my side- that's what I wanted from the start. I love both my dads, but since Dwarves don't celebrate the Myrddin Festival, I thought this was something I could have special with my human dad. This could be _our_ thing, just _you and me_. That's why I was so excited. That's what I wanted."

For a moment, Kratos stopped breathing. "…Lloyd…"

"And having Mom here with us- being a _family_ again- is what I want more than anything. I'm going to work hard so that she can stay here with us. Even if she doesn't totally remember, we can make new memories. Okay?"

 _Being a family_. That was what Anna had said, wasn't it? But hearing it from someone else and hearing it straight from Lloyd were two completely different things. Kratos finally allowed himself to smile as he removed his coat and draped it over Lloyd's shoulders. Lloyd looked up at him in surprise, but Kratos had bent down so that they were at eye-level.

"Lloyd, do you really believe that you can find a way to keep her from disappearing?"

The question reestablished some of the tension between them, but Lloyd didn't let it stick around.

"I do! I'm going to make sure that I find a way."

Kratos nodded and stood up straight again. "I see. Then, I have a request for you."

"Oh? What's that?"

"If you would, please…" With slight hesitation, Kratos bowed his head. "…let me help you. I want to aid you in keeping Anna here, with us."

Lloyd was taken aback, more by Kratos' posture than his question. "You asking all formal like that makes me feel like I have to say yes. But, the thing is, I don't want you to help me."

"Huh?" Kratos straightened up again. "Y-you-"

"No! That came out wrong! What I meant is, I don't want you to spend your time helping me because there's something more important I want you to do!"

With the clarification, Kratos' worry turned into confusion.

"Something _more_ important?"

"Yeah." Lloyd nodded his head. "See, a few days ago, when Mom still didn't know who she was, she got really depressed, wondering if she really had family and if they were really searching for her. She was so scared that she was alone in the world, without anybody who cared for her. Even not knowing who she was, it made me want to stay by her side and assure her that she _wasn_ _'t alone_. I still want to do that. But if I'm going to be working and researching as hard as I can for the next few days, I can't. That's why I want to ask you to." He paused, taking a deep breath and reaching out to grab one of Kratos' hands. "Dad, please… I don't want her to ever feel that alone again. Will you stay by her side and make sure she always knows how much we love her?"

The entry hall went silent, filled by only the soft buzz coming from the lobby on the other side of the wall. Lloyd was staring just as intently at Kratos as Kratos was at him, but he still couldn't read Kratos' expression. He knew that Kratos' blank stoicism could hide even the worst emotional turmoil, but it felt so strange not being able to tell what a person was thinking. For a moment they were locked in a staring contest. Kratos was the first to blink, but when he did, the spell was broken.

He began to laugh.

It was a reserved sort of laugh, little more than a throaty chuckle echoing through a half-closed mouth, but Lloyd was in awe. Seeing Kratos _smiling_ was rare enough. Seeing Kratos genuinely _laughing_ was like something out of a fever dream. Lloyd hadn't ever considered it. Somehow, deep down, there was a comforting familiarity to it, but that couldn't shake his surprise.

" _Dad_?"

"You continue to amaze me with how much you resemble Anna." Kratos managed to speak once his laughter died down. "I don't know how anyone can be so dense and yet so perceptive at the same time."

"Wha-?" Lloyd stammered, trying to figure out what Kratos had just said. "Dense? A-are you calling us _stupid_?!"

"No, no." Kratos reached out and placed a hand on top of Lloyd's head to calm his sudden anger. "In fact, there are things you two understand that I seem to have forgotten. Perhaps being with Anna again will jog my memory."

Lloyd smiled. "So, you'll stay with her?"

"For as long as she's here with us, I'll remain by her side. I'm trusting you to make it a long time. Alright?"

Lloyd reached up above his head to rest his hands on Kratos'. "Yes! You can count on me!"

"Thank you, Lloyd."

* * *

Anna made her way into the lobby with Sheena supporting her from one side and Noishe supporting her from the other. She expected the group's energy to be subdued in grief, but she could hear laughter coming from the fireplace area, and the first voice to greet her was a loud, excited call.

" _Hey_! That's my coat! Where'd you get that?"

Before Anna knew what was happening, a young man had run up to her with an amused smile on his face. She didn't recognize him, but Sheena clearly did.

"Zelos! She's been out in the cold all this time, and the first thing you have to say to her is about her coat? Show some respect!"

"Calm down, Sheena. All I wanted to know is where she got the coat. Orrison had it, remember? I was wearing it when he stole my body. If she got it from him, maybe she knows where he is."

"Yeah, but-"

"Zelos? Is that you?" Anna interrupted, taking a step towards him on her good foot. Noishe had run off to greet the rest of the group, so she was free to approach Zelos. "You're…?"

"Huh?" Zelos suddenly seemed to see Anna herself, and not just the coat she was wearing. "Oh, yeah! We haven't actually met. I'm Zelos, as you _know_. Sorry for my appearance. Normally I'm totally a ten, but due to circumstances right now, I'm hovering at about a solid four." He paused and winked at her. "It's nice to meet you, Miss, uh, Ida…?"

"Anna."

"Miss Anna. Sorry."

"W-well, actually Ida is fine if you like... I thought-"

"Miss Ida… Anna… Ida…" Zelos frowned, thought it over a moment, and then clapped his hands with a smile. "How about this? From now on, your name will be ' _Lloyd_ _'s mom.'_ Okay? It's nice to meet you Miss Lloyd's mom."

"Zelos!" Sheena had to restrain herself from kicking him, remembering that she was still supporting Anna's injured ankle. "You can't give somebody a new name just because-"

She stopped as soon as she heard Anna sniffle. By the time that she turned around to face her, there were already tears running down her face.

"M-Miss Anna? What's the matter?"

It took Anna a moment to answer. "It's just that… Orrison said that Zelos was… turned into a monster… so how…?"

"So you _did_ see Orrison?" Zelos leaned closer. "Where was he? What happened to him? Do you know where he went-?"

Sheena swatted at him. "You're not answering her question! Miss Anna, Seles was able to heal him using a magical charm that she wears. It's infused with unicorn horn, which can change someone from an exebula back into a human."

"Back… into a human…?" Anna choked the words through tears, looking at Zelos, then Sheena, and then back at Zelos. She left Sheena's support behind and grabbed hold of Zelos, pulling him into a tight hug. "Oh, Zelos! Thank goodness! I was so worried…"

Zelos was completely startled. "M-Miss Lloyd's mom- er, Anna-"

"It's okay. Call me whatever you like, dear."

With her clinging so closely, Zelos couldn't do anything but return the gesture. However, he looked up at Sheena as he did so, his eyes wide and his lips silently mouthing the words ' _She called me DEAR! Not even MY OWN mom did that!_ _'_

"You know what?" Zelos spoke up as he pulled out of the hug. "I think _Lloyd_ _'s mom_ is a little bit too long. How about just _Mom_ for short? Is that good?"

Anna giggled, wiping the edges of her eyes. "Like I said, call me whatever you like-"

" _Miss Ida_!"

Hazel had been away getting hot water for some tea, so she hadn't noticed the new additions to the group until just then. The rest had been too involved with Noishe to greet Anna and Sheena just yet, but Hazel ran up to her immediately, as though she could sense Anna's injured ankle.

"I'm so glad to see you made it back safely. When Lloyd told me what happened, I felt just terrible! Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere? Do you want me to-"

"Miss Hazel, please. I'm fine." Anna smiled at her, waving one hand dismissively. "I twisted my ankle earlier, but it's already bandaged up. I don't need anything right now except someplace to get warm."

"If you twisted your ankle, you should elevate it! I'll go get a pillow and a compress for bruises…"

Before anyone could protest further, Hazel had run off again, shoving the tea kettle into the hands of Genis, who had just approached. He watched her go in amazement at the speed with which she was climbing the staircase. "What's with her?"

"She's always like this when Seles is hurt." Zelos shook his head. "I guess she gets anxious or something. It's best to help her keep busy, or she'll work herself into a panic."

" _Oh._ That makes sense _._ "

Genis stopped himself and wondered if he'd given too much away with his understanding response, but if Zelos had caught on, he didn't acknowledge it.

"Yeah. I wish half of our employees were _that_ dedicated to their jobs."

"Right. Their jobs."

"I-Is Seles hurt?" Anna stood on the tip of her good foot, trying to see over Zelos' shoulder. "What happened to her?"

Zelos tugged on Anna's arm, leading her over to the couch where Seles and Colette were engrossed with petting Noishe's ears. "Don't worry. She's okay. She was just, uh…" He glanced away. "…attacked by a monster…"

" _Oh, Zelos._ "

He began laughing before she could say anything else to him. "Hah! Well, these things happen, y'know! Hey, Sis, Colette! Quit torturing that poor dog for a sec and talk to Miss Anna, will you?"

Anna frowned in Zelos' direction. His laughter sounded forced, and there was a sense of pain hiding behind his smile. She wanted so badly to say something, but Colette and Seles responded before she could.

"Oh, Miss Anna! I'm so glad you're safe! Lloyd was so, _so_ worried!" Colette practically leapt over the back of the couch to grab Anna's hands. "If anything had happened to you or him, I couldn't bear it! I'm so sorry for telling you to run off in the cold like that!"

"No, don't be sorry." Anna shook her head, moving so that she could sit on the end of the couch next to Colette. "It's because of you that I was able to get through to Kratos. _Thank you_ , for not letting me give up on him."

"Oh, Miss Anna…"

As the girls began talking, Zelos walked around and sat in a chair across the fireplace from them. "So, Mom," he began hesitantly, "you said that you spoke with Orrison? That he was the one who told you what happened with the exspheres?"

Anna nodded. "That's right. He went to meet with Kratos, but I accidentally said the wrong thing and he ran off." She sat up straighter and tugged her arms out of the sleeves of the coat, removing it from her shoulders and handing it out to Zelos. "This is yours, right?"

"Yeah, but you don't have to give it to me now. I just-"

"It's okay. I don't need it now that I'm here by the fire." Anna continued to hold it out, but Seles took it from her instead.

"This is my brother's, alright." Seles reached her hand into one of the pockets, pulling out a handful of crumpled pieces of paper, balls of lint, and various wrappers. "He's always shoving garbage in his pockets instead of throwing it away-"

" _Seles!_ " Zelos yelped and stood up so that he could snatch the coat away from her. "I was gonna clean it out last week, I just… didn't find the time. And anyway, I do that to keep trash off the streets. Littering is gross and you know I hate gross things."

"But you're perfectly content using the city sewers to sneak home after a night of partying?"

" _H-how do you know about that?!_ "

As the two began to argue, Colette poked at the pile of debris that Seles had pulled out. She noted a folded piece of paper, and turned it around to examine it.

"Hey, this isn't trash. It's a note… _Dear Zelos, Last night was incredible. Thank you so much for the roses and the-_ "

"DON'T READ THAT!" Zelos snatched it from her so quickly that his movement was a blur. He paused once he realized how loud he'd been and forced a laugh, lowering his hand. "I mean, uh… Colette, _darling_ , that's a really… old letter… don't worry about it…"

Seles gave him a suspicious side-eye, but he wasn't worried about Seles' opinion right now. Colette was the one he was worried about… though she seemed strangely pleased.

"What? That's not a bad thing. It's from a girl that you dated, right? I think it's so sweet that you took her to dinner and bought her roses."

" _Y-yeah_ …" Zelos shoved the note back into his coat pocked. "… _dinner_. That's totally what we did."

Seles glanced over to Colette to see how convinced she was of Zelos' not-so-convincing answer, but Colette didn't seem t have caught it. She was distracted, and rightfully so.

"Lloyd! Kratos! Come over here and sit by the fire!"

Lloyd took a seat on the floor in front of the fireplace and Colette hopped down to join him. Kratos, meanwhile, stood beside Anna, leaning over to make sure that she was okay. "You should probably elevate your ankle," he said, grabbing a nearby ottoman and sliding it over.

"Miss Hazel is getting a compress too," Anna offered propping her foot up.

"Hazel?"

"She's Seles' nurse." Zelos waved across the table. "Hey, Kratos. It's been a long time. Good to see you again."

Kratos froze, his eyes lighting up as he recognized the boy from the previous night. "Z-Zelos?"

"In the flesh." Zelos cracked a smile. "Or, _not_ , as the case may be."

"You…"

Anna tugged on Kratos' sleeve to get his attention. "Seles saved him! I didn't even know it was possible, but she was able to turn him back into a human."

Kratos looked back and forth between Anna and Zelos a few times before finally sighing, bowing his head so that his expression was hidden. "Oh, thank _goodness_ …"

Zelos perked up at the sound of Kratos' voice and leaned forward in his chair. "Did you just say ' _thank goodness_?' Kratos, were you…" A self-satisfied smirk played on his face. "… _worried_ about me?"

"I was worried about Anna. Hearing about your situation caused her a great deal of stress." Kratos finally lifted his head again, his face free of emotion once again. "In any case, it's a good thing you're here. I'm sure you know more about this Orrison fellow than any of us, so you can help us find him."

"Find him?" Zelos frowned. "Don't tell me he got away from _you_ too?"

"That was my fault," Anna volunteered shyly. "I'm the one who accidentally chased him away…" She fidgeted with her hands, but the feeling of Kratos' hand on her shoulder relaxed her.

"I told you not to blame yourself. There's no reason to point fingers now that things have happened. I just want to get everyone together so that we can discuss the situation. Is there anything you need right now?"

"Well… I'm still cold. A blanket would be nice."

Zelos stood up before Kratos could respond. "Don't worry about a thing, Mom! I'll get one for you!"

"Now wait just a minute!" Kratos bristled at Zelos' phrasing. _"_ Who are you calling _Mom_ all of a sudden?!"

Anna reached out with a smile. "Don't worry. I told him it was okay."

"It's _not_ okay! She is _not_ your mother! Don't you have any respect for-"

A whining groan from Zelos cut Kratos off mid-sentence. " _But Daaaaaaaaad~_ "

" _ONLY LLOYD HAS THE RIGHT TO CALL ME THAT-!_ "

"Miss Ida, I finished preparing the compress for your ankle. Here's an extra pillow as well- ah, you're using the ottoman. That's good."

Hazel burst in, offering the group a welcome distraction from Kratos and Zelos' conflict. Zelos left to retrieve the blanket for Anna and returned with not only that, but a ring of keys with various numbers on them.

"They've finished assigning rooms to those displaced by the damage on the fifth floor. With that and Hazel's reservation, we now have three rooms on the third floor and one on the second. Genis, think fast!"

Genis flinched as soon as he saw a key being tossed in his direction. It bounced off his arm and skittered onto the floor, and he knelt down to pick it up with a scathing glare at Zelos.

"You and Lloyd get room 304. Sheena, here's 306 for you and Colette."

"Oh?" Sheena caught her key with ease. "You're not planning on _sleeping with_ Colette anymore?"

"I'm going to _ignore_ you and your commentary. Mom, heads-up!"

Anna wasn't paying attention, so Kratos had to jump in and catch the key instead. "Hey! Don't throw things at her," he growled in Zelos' direction.

Zelos turned his head away with an innocent smile. "I'm just trying to distribute keys most effectively. That's 308, for you two."

"You mean Kratos and me?" Anna leaned over and examined the key in Kratos' hands. "We get our own room?"

"Well, yeah. I'll be in the suite on the second floor with Seles and Hazel. That just leaves you two." Zelos winked at them. "I know it's still morning, but everybody's tired and we need some rest. Don't have too much fun, okay?"

Zelos caught the dirty look that Kratos shot at him, but to his satisfaction, Kratos made _absolutely no attempt_ to argue.

He figured that they all deserved a break. Even Kratos.

* * *

The summit station was far above the clouds that were causing the snowstorm to rage in the valley. A lone figure stood in the wind, watching the sky despite the cold and his lack of proper outerwear nudging him to retreat back into the mountain hut where the fire was burning. Above him, amongst the stars in the night sky, a bright green aurora underlit the white light trailing behind the comet.

That morning's events had taken their toll. The goal which had only a day earlier seemed so close was now frighteningly far from reach. But Orrison wasn't the type to let years of effort go to waste. He waited the day out patiently for the reminder of the reason he was doing this. Once darkness fell, he could see it, its brilliance echoing over the nearby mountain peaks that peeked above the thick cloud cover.

 _Myrddin_ _'s comet had finally arrived._

Reluctantly accepting what the cold would do to him if he stayed out any longer, Orrison retreated back into the summit station with one last glance out toward the sky.

"Everyone who's counting on me to bring an end to your suffering… I won't fail you. I _won_ _'t_."


	23. Chapter 23

As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 36:  
** _Is fhe_ _àrr teicheadh math na droch fhuireach_.  
Better a good retreat than a bad stand.

 **23-**

Enough had happened before dawn on Tuesday to fill more than a whole day's worth of activities. Everyone needed a good night's rest and a half, and thankfully, the beds in their rooms were so comfy that everyone found sleep an easy task both through the day and into the night.

Everyone except Lloyd.

When Genis awoke the next morning, he found the bed beside him empty- just as it had been when he'd fallen asleep. His first thought was that _maybe Lloyd spent the night in his parents_ _' room._ He could understand that. But when he walked out to the breakfast room where pastries and juice were waiting for them, he found Kratos and Anna engaged in a conversation with Colette and Seles, and no sign of Lloyd anywhere.

"Good morning, Genis!" Colette waved to him, offering a smile with smudges of raspberry jam around the outsides. "Is Lloyd still asleep?"

"I don't think so," Genis shook his head as he took a seat beside her, opposite Anna. "He actually wasn't in the room when I left."

"He wasn't?" Kratos leaned over the table. "We haven't seen him here at breakfast either. I thought the first thing he'd want to do is get something to eat."

"Brother? Sheena?" Seles called over to the other table, where Sheena and Zelos were having an argument with Hazel in the middle, her dark skin as pale as Genis had ever seen it. "Have either of you seen Lloyd this morning?"

"Can't say I have," Zelos called back with a wave. "If I had, I'd have invited him to sit with us."

"I haven't seen him since last night when I went to the library to give him some tea," Sheena responded. "Hazel, did you check on him afterward?"

Hazel tried to force some worry into her voice, but there was no hiding her relief at the subject change. "No. I was planning to, but I fell asleep before I could."

"D'ya think he fell asleep in the library?" Zelos asked, standing up. "Maybe we should check on him."

Genis rolled his eyes. "It wouldn't be the first time Lloyd has fallen asleep with his head in a book."

"I didn't realize he was so studious," Hazel commented.

"No, he's not. He hates reading. It bores him to sleep."

"Oh."

"Hey, I'm proud of him." Anna beamed. "Reading is hard! There are so many words."

Seles frowned. "Isn't that… the point?"

"Well, yeah, but there could be… y'know… _less words_."

Kratos reached over and gave Anna an encouraging pat on the shoulder. Genis refrained from saying anything, but he silently took note of Anna's opinion.

 _Yep. That_ _'s definitely Lloyd's mom._

* * *

Zelos accompanied Anna and Kratos to the library to search for Lloyd. It was located adjacent to the lobby with an enormous window that overlooked the lake to the south- or, it would, if the visibility wasn't obscured by a snowstorm. The place was decorated as lavishly as the rest of the resort, with opulent lounge chairs that looked more suitable for napping than for reading. It was meant to be a room for pleasure reading, not for research. Still, Lloyd had found a desk and gotten to work. The pile of books that he had set aside was impressive for him, and to the group's surprise, he was awake and flipping through a large encyclopedia.

"Yo, Lloyd! You're awake!" Zelos ran up to the desk, hopping onto the back of the chair so that he could look over Lloyd's shoulder. "What'cha reading? Is it any good?"

Lloyd shrugged, placing the book down and rubbing his nose with a slight sniffle. When he spoke, his throat sounded notably congested. "Yeah, I guess. It has a lot of stuff on exspheres, but it's all stuff I already know. What are you doing up this late, Zelos?"

"Late?" Zelos stepped off the chair, circling around to the other side. "It's, like, eight in the morning."

"Morning? Already? How'd that happen?"

Anna stepped closer, grabbing hold of his arm. "Lloyd, don't tell me you didn't sleep at all last night?"

"I mean… it's not like I actually _went_ to sleep, but-"

"So you didn't sleep," Anna interrupted.

"Huh? N-no, no! I'm doing this special sleep technique that I heard about from one of my coworkers!" Lloyd waved his hands with a smile. "It's called microsleeps, where your body goes into full sleep-mode for just a few seconds every so often-"

"Lloyd, that's not a technique," Zelos interrupted. "That's a symptom of extreme fatigue. You're sick."

"I-I'm not sick!" Lloyd flinched, but he was blocked on both sides by Zelos and Anna, so there wasn't anywhere he could go. Anna tightened her grip on his arm and brought her free hand up to his forehead.

"Oh, sweetie, you've got a fever."

Lloyd leaned backward instinctively. "No, I don't! I'm just, uh, burning with determination! You know, to achieve my goal!"

" _Lloyd._ " Kratos walked up behind him. "This is not healthy. You need to get some rest."

"C-c'mon, Dad! I'm really okay! I'm doing my best to keep my promise!"

"Don't use that tone of voice with me, young man. Go to your room _right now_."

"You can't make me. I'm an adult, and I can make my own decisions, thank-you-very-mu-"

" _Lloyd Irving. You will go to your room and straight to bed right now, or so help me I will pick you up and carry you there myself, in front of all your friends and everyone in the lobby._ "

The tone of voice caught him off-guard. Lloyd froze momentarily. "You wouldn't."

"Try me."

There was a tense silence between them. Anna and Zelos were almost certain Kratos was bluffing, but they were honestly curious to see what would happen if Lloyd did test his father's patience.

"… _fine_." Lloyd sighed. "I'm going to bed."

Zelos and Anna watched as Kratos helped Lloyd to his feet, organized the books on the desk, and left in the direction of the lobby. Lloyd's gait was wobbly, so Kratos grabbed hold of his shoulder to steady him, and Lloyd leaned against Kratos' arm. Zelos glanced back at Anna, noting the smile on her face. Had his mother ever smiled at him like that when he wasn't looking? He wished he knew.

"Hey, uh, aren't you gonna go with 'em?" He poked Anna in the arm. "Lloyd's really stubborn when it comes to things he's determined to do. Something tells me that he won't let a fever get in the way of researching exspheres for your sake. You're the only one who can tell him that it's okay to rest."

Anna looked down at her feet. "That may be true, but… Kratos has finally dedicated himself to being Lloyd's dad. I want them to have some time alone, to give them a chance to really communicate with one another."

"Are you sure that's a good idea? I mean, twenty-four hours ago, Lloyd was _royally pissed_ at Kratos for what he did. That kinda anger doesn't just disappear, even when they reconcile. I get the feeling that their civility now is because of you- you're the glue holding them together."

"I know. That's what I'm afraid of."

"Huh?"

Anna hugged her arms in close to her chest. "If I'm the one holding them together, then when I disappear, they'll… break apart. When I'm gone, I want them to have each other."

"What are you saying?" Zelos took a step closer. "Don't talk nonsense like that! You're not gonna disappear-"

"It's okay, Zelos. Kratos and I talked it over last night. I decided that… it's okay if I disappear."

"You… what?"

Anna shook her head, walking a short distance to sit down in one of the lounge chairs. She was momentarily surprised by how far she sank into the plush cushion, but regained her balance before she spoke again.

"I'm grateful for all that Lloyd and his friends have done for me. I don't _want_ to disappear; I want to be here for them, to repay them for their kindness. But, the more memories I get back, the more I realize that… Kratos was right. I shouldn't have been created in the first place."

"…but…"

"That doesn't mean I'm not happy to be here. Every moment I can be with Lloyd and Kratos is a blessing. But I'm alive on borrowed time- all of this is extra that I never would've had if Lloyd hadn't taken off his exsphere. I should never have been born-"

" _NO_!"

Anna shifted backwards, surprised by Zelos' outburst. "Z-Zelos! What-"

"Don't say shit like that, dammit!"

" _Zelos._ " Anna grabbed his arm. _"_ Watch your _mouth_ -"

"Don't try to be my mom!" Zelos snatched his arm out of her grip and turned away. "A mother should have more respect for life than that!"

She paused, thinking over what he'd said. His words didn't seem to make sense. "Respect… for life…? What do you mean?"

"S-sorry. Just forget it. Go do mom-stuff. Make your kid some cookies… or, chicken soup, I guess, since he's sick." Zelos shrugged his shoulders as he walked away. "I'll be upstairs in the ballroom. I need to bang on some piano keys. Tell the girls, will you?"

"Oh. Okay."

Anna would've said something, but she was too preoccupied by a memory that had taken root in her mind. It was something from her childhood, from Luin, before the human ranch… a woman and a kitchen…

"Chicken soup! That's right!"

By the time that she returned to the breakfast room, Seles and Hazel had gone off on their own, so only Colette, Sheena, and Genis were left at the table chatting. They didn't notice Anna at first- not until she yelled at them.

" _Do you know where the kitchen is?!_ "

Colette turned to her in surprise. "Kitchen? What do you need a kitchen for?"

Anna smiled. "I'm going to make soup for Lloyd!"

* * *

When Lloyd woke up, he glanced out the window to see what appeared to be the color of sunrise behind the thick cloud cover. It made sense, considering it had still been dark when Kratos had escorted him back to the room, but after a moment he realized that the window of his and Genis' room overlooked the mountain ridge to the west of the resort.

 _Sunset_?

Lloyd sat up abruptly. "How long have I been asleep?!"

There wasn't anyone there to answer him, and the speed with which he'd sat up made his head spin. He managed to get up so that he could wash his face and then check Genis' pocket watch that was lying on the desk. _Five-thirty in the afternoon_. He'd forgotten that the sun set so early here. It was kind of unnerving. But with the headache he had, he couldn't think on it too much. It felt better just to lie back in bed and close his eyes.

He didn't know how long it was between when he closed his eyes and when he was awoken by the sound of a knock on the door.

"Lloyd, sweetie, are you awake?"

Anna peeked in the door and Lloyd saw that she had her hands full with some sort of tray. He caught a whiff of something savory and immediately realized how hungry he was.

"Mom? Is that stew? Thank you so much- I'm _starving_!"

"Yay! Good to hear." Anna continued into the room, and Lloyd noticed for the first time that Kratos was with her. His expression was nothing like the sunny smile that Anna had on her face. He looked almost… uneasy? _Disgusted_? And somehow, Anna didn't seem to notice. "You know the old Dwarven vow- feed a cold, starve a fever!"

"That's, uh, not actually a Dwarven vow, Mom-"

"Well, it should be. Proper nutrition is important for health."

Kratos cleared his throat. "That may be so, but if Lloyd isn't hungry or has a stomachache, we really shouldn't _force_ him to eat. That's his decision to make."

"Nonsense! He just said he was starving, didn't he?"

"Yeah-" Lloyd began, but he stopped as Anna placed the tray of stew in front of him and he caught sight of its bright red color.

Oh. _Oh._

"M-Mom, are these red things… tomatoes?"

"Sure are!" Anna clapped her hands together, her smile never wavering. "That's an old Irving family recipe for Brunswick Stew, a tomato-base with chicken, corn, butter beans, and big chunks of tomatoes for vitamin C and antioxidants! My grandmother taught it to me when I was a little girl, saying it was the perfect cure for a cold. Eat this and you'll feel better in no time!"

Suddenly, Lloyd wasn't so hungry anymore.

Of course, if Anna was still having trouble remembering major life events, there was no way she could remember something as trivial as her husband and son's eating preferences. She had no idea that she'd offered Lloyd something that would make him feel much _worse_ before he felt any better. Kratos was looking over at him with a pointed stare that was saying _'you don't have to eat it if you don't want to_.'

But… Anna looked so happy…

Lloyd picked up the spoon and scooped up a tentative bite. He gagged, but tried to hide it beneath a fake cough, grabbing a napkin. Anna drew closer in concern.

"Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah, I'm fine! It's delicious! It's just, uh, hot. Can you get me a glass of water?"

"Sure!"

As Anna turned away to pour a glass of water, Kratos approached Lloyd and leaned down so that he could whisper.

" _Lloyd_ ," he began, " _you don_ _'t have to eat it if you don't want to. It's okay._ "

"N-no! Mom worked so hard on this!" Lloyd whispered back. "It's a family recipe from my _great-grandmother_. This is the first time in _seventeen years_ that my mom is around to take care of me when I'm sick. I'm not going to pass up this opportunity just because of some... stupid tomatoes..."

Anna returned to Lloyd's side, seemingly unaware of the men's conversation. She placed the glass of water on the tray and sat down beside Lloyd. "Careful not to burn your tongue. Is it still too hot?"

"No, it's good now." Lloyd shook his head and shoveled another spoonful into his mouth. As long as he didn't have a piece of tomato on the spoon, it was bearable, and he actually managed to smile at Anna. The look of prideful elation on her face gave him the determination to keep going, at least.

Kratos watched from across the room, in awe of Lloyd's determination as he swallowed spoonful after painful spoonful. An unexpected sense of pride welled up in his heart, but he couldn't express it. Not if he wanted to keep up the charade for Anna.

Lloyd finally finished the last of the soup, tipping the bowl up to make sure there wasn't any left. He handed the bowl back to his mother, forcing as genuine a smile as he could muster. "Thank you _so much_ , Mom! You're a really good cook!"

Anna took the bowl from him and reached one hand out to touch his forehead. "Your fever's gone down a bit since this morning. Thank you for resting today. As much as I appreciate your work on my behalf, taking care of yourself should come first."

"Well, it's not like I had much of a choice." Lloyd shrugged, motioning toward Kratos. "But considering how long I slept, I obviously needed it. So thanks for forcing me."

Anna giggled, leaning forward to kiss Lloyd's forehead. "It's my job to make sure my baby is okay."

"M-Mom…" Lloyd blushed and turned his head away, but he was smiling the whole time. "I don't wanna get you sick or anything…"

"I doubt it's something contagious. You just worried and worked yourself sick, is all."

"And even if it is," Kratos broke in, taking the glass from Lloyd's tray and refilling it with water, "these types of things are usually most contagious _before_ symptoms appear."

Lloyd frowned as he accepted the glass back. "That's… _comforting_."

"You didn't know that? How else do you think infectious diseases have continued to thrive since the invention of quarantine-?"

"Kratos, _please_." Anna poked him. "Quit that. Let him rest for now."

Kratos tossed her an indignant _'what'd I say?_ ' before sighing and taking the tray with him. Anna said good-night and exited the room first, so Kratos was left to close the door behind them. He stayed at the door for a moment, turning back to Lloyd.

"I asked your friends to bring you those books you were reading this morning. They'll come by after they've eaten dinner."

"Okay, thanks."

"And, by the way…" Kratos tossed a quick glance out into the hallway before whispering "… _that was quite possibly the most impressive thing I_ _'ve ever seen you do._ "

Lloyd stared at the door as it closed, pausing for a few moments to think about what Kratos had said.

"I'm not sure whether to be honored or offended," he murmured to himself as he pulled himself out of bed and started in the direction of the sink.

All he knew was that he needed some mouthwash.

* * *

Anna was unfazed by the time it took Kratos to catch up to her. She was lost in her own thoughts, not really paying attention to what was going on around her. When Kratos fell into line walking behind her, she didn't question it. She just continued walking, pausing a moment to clear her throat and speak.

"…Kratos? Can I ask you something?"

"What is it?" The hallway was empty, so Kratos moved to walk beside her.

"Maybe it's because my memories are so fuzzy, but I'm having a hard time understanding something. What does it mean that a mother should… have _respect for life_?"

Kratos turned to look at her with a puzzled expression. " _Respect for life_? That's kind of vague. In what context are you asking this?"

"Zelos said it. This morning, I told him about our conversation last night- the one about me disappearing. I know you told me not to tell Lloyd, but I thought Zelos should know. I thought he'd understand. But he got really angry with me and yelled at me, saying that a mother should have ' _more respect for life than that_.' What did he mean?"

A frown passed over Kratos' face as he thought it over. "A mother, huh? I wonder…"

"Wonder what?"

"I never got to meet Zelos as a young child. He was born right around the time that you and I ran off together. But I know that his mother wasn't exactly the warmest, most loving mother that she could have been. She'd been forced into an arranged marriage with a man she didn't love, and as Zelos was the product of that union, I can imagine she may have resented him." He stopped and sighed. "I berated him for calling you _Mom,_ but I wonder if there's something to that. Maybe he wants you to keep existing just as much as Lloyd does, and he got angry thinking you'd given up. He got angry thinking _I_ _'d_ made you give up."

"But I haven't!" Anna stopped in the middle of the hallway, cutting Kratos off. "Coming to terms with all possible outcomes doesn't mean I've given up on the one I want the most! Just because I shouldn't have existed in the first place, doesn't mean I-"

Her voice cut off abruptly.

 _Even if it_ _'s true and you shouldn't have been born in the first place, that doesn't change the fact that you were. And once you're born, you have a right to live. That's what I believe, anyway._

Of course.

"Anna?" Kratos ventured. "That doesn't mean you _what_?"

"…it doesn't mean… I don't have the right to live… _of course_ …" Anna sighed, pulling her hands into her chest. " _That_ _'s_ what he meant. I have to apologize to him. The whole time, he was just talking about what Lloyd said. Once you're born, you have a right to live."

"Lloyd told you that?"

She nodded.

Kratos couldn't help a smile.

"He's told me that before too."

* * *

"Lloyd, are you awake?"

The sound of Colette's voice was a welcome distraction to help Lloyd get his mind off the horrible memory of those tomatoes. Even once he'd washed the taste out of his mouth, the sensation of that awful, mushy texture just wouldn't leave. He was about to sneak into the breakfast room to see if there were any pastries left, but he knew that would be a slim chance, and if Kratos caught him out of bed, he was in for a serious scolding.

"Colette!" Lloyd waved. "Just the person I wanted to see!"

"I'm here too." Sheena poked her head in the door beside Colette. "I hope that's okay."

"Of course! The more the merrier!" Lloyd gestured for them to come in. They were both carrying books, so they stopped to put them down on the desk before taking a seat on the end of the bed. "Dwarven vow 36," he continued "s _eachnaidh duin_ _' a bhràthair, ach cha sheachain e choimh-earsnach. A_ man can live without a brother, but not without a friend."

Colette giggled and Sheena gave an amused grin. "I don't know, Lloyd. Your mom and Kratos have been totally inseparable since yesterday. A brother might not be out of the question."

"Sh-Sheena!" Colette blushed, but Lloyd couldn't help laughing.

"Don't worry. Kratos assured me that's _not_ going to happen."

"Oh my gods, you actually said something like that to him? Lloyd, _please_ -"

"I was really feverish this morning, okay? I can't be held responsible!"

The group began to laugh together, even Colette losing her embarrassment amidst her friends' enthusiasm. "It seems like you're feeling better now. I was so worried when we came by earlier today- your face was so pale, and you were sleeping hard."

"Sorry, Colette." Lloyd scratched his cheek and offered her a sheepish smile. "I just needed to sleep it off. Thanks for coming to check on me, though. I didn't even realize you were here."

Colette lay back on the bed so that she was next to him. "Genis was with us too. He and I wanted to stay for a while to see if you'd wake up, but Sheena chased us out. She didn't want to disturb you."

"C-Colette! You didn't have to tell him that!"

"Why are you embarrassed? That's sweet." Lloyd smiled. "Thanks, Sheena."

"Of course. I didn't want you to stay sick." Sheena was trying to keep a neutral expression, but both Lloyd and Colette could see the affectionate smile that was tugging at the edges of her mouth.

Colette sat up, stretching her arms and hopping off the bed. "Genis is still in the library looking for reference books for you, so he'll be up in a little while. I'm gonna go check on Seles."

"Right now? But you _just_ got here! I thought we were gonna hang out together!" Lloyd whined, reaching out for her. She was already halfway to the door, however.

"I'll come back later. In the meantime, you and Sheena have plenty to chat about, right?" With nothing more than a giddy wave and a wink, she disappeared into the hallway, pushing the door almost closed behind her.

Lloyd glanced over at Sheena curiously.

 _Aha. So that_ _'s what Colette was playing at._

"So, uh… you wanted to talk to me privately about something? Badly enough to get Colette in on it?"

Sheena sighed. "Colette means well, but she's not very subtle."

Lloyd shrugged. "She tries her hardest. That's why we love her, right?"

"Yes."

Sheena's half-hearted reply wasn't at all indicative of how deeply she cared for Colette, so Lloyd knew there must be something distracting her. He leaned forward, placing one hand on her knee. "Hey? Is something wrong?"

"Everything." Sheena sighed. "Everything is wrong."


	24. Chapter 24

As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 41**  
 _A anmoch toiseach tha nas fhe_ _àrr na gin._  
It's better to begin in the evening than not at all.

 **24-**

"Everything. Everything is wrong."

" _Everything?_ _"_ Lloyd frowned at her. "C'mon, now. Not _everything_ can be wrong. You're okay, I'm okay, Zelos is safe, Mom is alive, Kratos is working on our side again… I know things aren't great, but not everything is wrong."

Sheena rolled her eyes and brushed her hair out of her face. "So what you're saying is, things could be worse."

" _Way_ worse." Lloyd leaned back, crossing his arms and closing his eyes as he thought over the situation. "Dwarven Vow 65: _Cha d_ _èan aon smeòrach Samhradh._ One songbird doesn't make summer. It means you can't jump to conclusions based on little things. So what if there are a few crises happening right now? It's not like we haven't been through worse. We can make something out of this- it's not a _total catastrophe_."

"Interesting way of seeing things."

"Hey, it works for me."

The two were quiet, Sheena thinking over what Lloyd had said, and Lloyd trying to anticipate what Sheena was going to say next. She moved around the bed so that she was sitting on the side rather than the end, that way she could be closer and look at Lloyd directly.

"I know things could be worse, and I know we should be grateful for the luck we've had. When I said everything was wrong, I didn't mean everything was _bad_. I just meant that everything is… _different_. Sure, we'll get past these obstacles, but things aren't going to return to the way they used to be. What'll happen if Zelos doesn't get his body back? What'll happen when the comet disappears and your mom has to figure out where she's going to live and what she's going to do?"

"Dwarven Vow 27:" Lloyd offered, " _Iss ann an ceann bliadhna a dh_ _'innseas isagair a thuiteamas._ It's at the year's end that a fisherman can tell his luck. It means that there's no point in thinking too hard about events that haven't happened yet, because there's always uncertainty involved. We'll cross those bridges when we get to them."

"But what about Colette- is she _really_ planning to pursue a relationship with Zelos? Is _he_ really planning to give up his lecherous ways and actually be a responsible boyfriend? And don't even get me started on Kratos. I'm not even sure what he's doing _now,_ much less what he plans to do after all of this is resolved. And of course Yuan hasn't shown his face around here for more than five minutes without running off through the snow to the storage unit to set who-knows-what kind of traps for Orrison. And Orrison! What are you going to do now that somebody's gathered all those exspheres? Aren't you angry with him for taking that from you? My point is, everything's changing, and it's changing _fast_."

Lloyd sighed, looking down at the quilt that was draped over his knees. "Things are always changing. Life doesn't ever sit still. Dwarven Vow 20: _Cha bhi fi-_ _"_

"Can you quit it with the Dwarven Vows for, like, two minutes? I'm going somewhere with this."

"Oops. Sorry."

Sheena took a deep breath as though she were about to say something, but as soon as she opened her mouth, she blushed and turned away. Lloyd leaned forward, unsure of what her body language meant. She finally managed to speak, though with her head turned away she was talking more at the wall than she was to Lloyd.

"E-earlier I told you that I'd only go on a date with you once everything went back to normal, right? But now it's looking like things aren't going to go back to _normal._ At least, not the normal that we had before. So…"

 _Oh._

A nervous lump caught in Lloyd's throat.

"Sheena, if you… don't wanna date me… just say so. I don't need any fancy philosophical excuses." He leaned forward and gave her an encouraging pat on the shoulder. "I'd way rather be rejected than make you feel uncomfortable or force you to do anything. I-I mean, not that I _want_ to be rejected, but-"

"No!"

After all the time she'd spent talking to the wall, Sheena finally directed her attention back to Lloyd. He sat up in surprise at her sudden outburst, not really sure what to expect from her. Honestly, the pain of being rejected was digging at the bottom of his stomach, but he didn't want to let her know that. It wasn't her fault. Still, he couldn't believe that Colette would willingly set them up for a talk like this if she'd known Sheena was going to break his heart. Did she know?

"N-no, I'm saying…" Sheena shook her head. "…I'm saying that I _do_ want to date you. Regardless of how things turn out or what eventually becomes the 'new normal,' I want you to know that I'm here with you. I-I mean, _for_ you. I'm here to support you however you need me, no matter what happens, because I… _like_ you. A _lot_." Once she finished speaking, she let out a sigh of relief and bowed her head. "Okay, I'm done. You can do your Dwarven Vows or whatever now."

Lloyd was too relieved to even think of any Dwarven Vows at that moment. He was still trying to process the conversation.

"Hold on, let me see if I've got this right. You got Colette to set us up a private conversation and outlined every worst-case-scenario that could possibly ruin our lives at this point… all to assure me that you _do_ want to date me?" He held out a hand to her, the expression on his face one of concern. "Just some constructive criticism here, but your idea of romance leaves a _lot_ to be desired."

"I-I never said I was any good at this!" Sheena leaned forward, her whole body stiffened. "And anyway, _you_ _'re_ the one who asked me out after having a meltdown about your dead mother. I'm just following your lead."

Lloyd smiled. "I guess neither of us is really talented at this sort of thing, huh?"

"Maybe we can learn together, then."

"I'd like that."

"Me too."

After a moment, Sheena relaxed and allowed her gaze to meet with Lloyd's. She was surprised by the shyness that was evident in his smile, so far removed from his loud personality. He, on the other hand, didn't feel shy at all. In fact, he felt oddly confident. Caught up in a self-assured daydream, he found himself leaning slowly towards her. His eyes fluttered closed, but his lips stayed pursed open ever-so-slightly…

"Um, Lloyd? You okay?"

Somewhere in his daydream, he had expected to find her lips. The sensation of her hand on his forehead instead completely shattered the illusion and his eyes snapped open. Lloyd's face turned bright red as he realized his mistake, quickly sitting upright again to brush it off as casually as he could.

" _Y-y-yeah!_ Sorry about that! I thought- I mean, I wasn't thinking, but I, er… I mean, I'm sick, so it's obvious that you wouldn't want to, uh…"

Sheena frowned and leaned closer, causing him to lean back further in embarrassment. "You looked dizzy, like you were going to pass out or something, so I thought-" She stopped herself. "Wait, were you trying to _k-kiss_ me?"

"Yes, but, uh-" Lloyd looked away. "-I mean, Mom and Dad said that I'm probably not contagious, but I totally understand wanting to be careful and all that-"

"I'm so sorry, Lloyd! I-I didn't realize! If I had, I would've-"

"N-no, it's cool… you don't have to…"

"…but I, um…"

Their eyes met and they realized just how silly the situation was. Lloyd laughed, and Sheena leaned over him to cut him off, capturing his lips against hers. She had always imagined a first kiss as a momentary burst of excitement, one moment thrilling and the next already passed. But once their mouths met, neither one wanted to end it any time soon.

So they didn't.

Even from down the hall, it was clear that the door was slightly ajar. Genis had found enough books to fill the next few days with research, so he had left most at the desk in the library and only taken two with him back to his and Lloyd's room. He thought nothing of simply pushing the door aside, expecting to find Lloyd, Colette, and Sheena discussing the weather, or some other sort of triviality. But it became obvious at first glance that Colette was _not_ there.

Within a split second, Genis was back in the hallway, his back pressed against the wall next to the door as he listened, hoping- _praying_ \- that neither had seen him. It was unlikely that they had, judging by the image that had been all but seared into his brain, Lloyd pinned against the bed by Sheena, their faces joined together in-

" _Wow._ "

The sound of Lloyd's voice from the other side of the door caused Genis to jump. He squeezed the books tightly in his arms and tried not to make a sound.

A soft laugh from Sheena followed before Lloyd's voice spoke up once again. "So tell me, does my mouth taste like tomatoes?"

"What?" There was a gentle thud, as though Sheena had hit Lloyd with a pillow. "Not at all."

"Good. Glad one of us doesn't think so."

" _C_ _'mon, Lloyd._ Your mom's soup couldn't have been _that_ bad."

"It was that bad and then some! Do you know what Kratos told me once? He said that the plants that produce tomatoes are part of the _nightshade_ family. As in, _deadly nightshade._ Why would _anyone_ eat the fruit of a plant like that? That's just asking for trouble!"

In any other situation, Genis would have spoken up about potatoes, peppers, and eggplants all being part of the same family as well, but now wasn't the time or place for the sharing of botanical knowledge.

"Just calm down, Lloyd. The only person you're hurting by being so bitter about it is yourself."

"I don't care! I'm going to be bitter about tomatoes until the day I die. If that's a deal-breaker for you, you might want to mention it now before this relationship goes any further."

Sheena laughed again. "You idiot. How could it be a deal-breaker when it's part of what makes you _you_ _…?"_

That was enough. Genis didn't need to hear any more. He took off down the hallway in a careful run, trying not to let his footsteps give away the fact that he had been outside the room. Sheena and Lloyd didn't know he was there, and that was all that mattered… for the moment, at least.

But that moment ended as soon as someone caught his arm.

"Whoa, whoa. Where're you going in such a hurry, kid?"

Genis stopped and looked up. Funny, now that Zelos had a different body, Genis was actually taller than he was by a few centimeters. It was something he'd gloated about the day before, but suddenly the word 'kid' reminded him how little height mattered. Zelos was older than he was, more experienced, more knowledgeably in _many_ area that Genis didn't want to acknowledge, including romance. _Especially_ romance.

"G-going? I'm not going anywhere," Genis stammered, shaking his head.

Zelos raised an eyebrow. "You sure? 'Cause if you're not running _to_ somewhere, you must be running _from_ somewhere, and I don't see anything around that looks threatening enough to chase you away."

It was always frustrating when Zelos made sense. Genis turned away. "What are _you_ doing here, anyway?"

"Looking for Sheena," Zelos replied. "I wanted to ask her about her summoning abilities and how they might be useful in tracking Orrison. Last I heard, she was hanging out in your room with Lloyd and Colette." He shrugged and started on down the hallway again. "I'll see you around, I guess-"

"W-WAIT!"

Genis had to shift the books he was holding to one arm so that he could reach out and grab the back of Zelos' shirt. Caught off-guard, Zelos almost fell over.

"Huh? What's your deal?"

"Sh-Sheena's not there anymore!" Genis lied, his mind racing as he tried to think of somewhere else she might be. It had to be out of the way, far from here… "She went to the roof!"

"The _roof_? What the hell is she doing on the _roof_?"

"I don't know, but… uh… let's go look for her! C'mon, I'll go with you."

Zelos started to protest, begging Genis to stop for a coat and some gloves, but Genis didn't even acknowledge him. He was too busy dragging him in the direction of the stairwell.

* * *

"Well, she is _definitely_ not on the roof."

Zelos was relieved to get back inside the building, even if it was just stepping into the chilly stairwell. Anything was better than being in the wind and snow. It was beginning to lighten up, or so it seemed, but he knew enough about meteorology to know that wasn't reason to celebrate just yet. He closed the door behind Genis, helping him to brush snow off his shoulders.

"Y-yeah, I guess she's not." Genis shrugged. "Sorry about that. Maybe I misheard her or somethi-"

"Okay, spill. What's Sheena up to?"

There was a pause. Genis looked around as though there were someone else in the stairwell that Zelos might've been asking. "Up to? What do you mean? Sheena's not-"

"She put you up to this, didn't she? Keeping people from talking to her? Or is it me she's targeting directly?" Zelos crossed his arms and stepped toward Genis with a stern expression. "Don't play dumb, smarty-pants. It doesn't suit you. What's the point of bringing me up here?"

"No one asked me to do this!" Genis shook his head. "I brought you up here all by myself."

"Why?"

"T-to…" In a moment of flash panic, Genis found himself bowing. "…to _confess my love to you_!"

"Uh-huh." Zelos was unconvinced. "Nice try, but no dice. Why'd you bring me up here?"

Seeing his nervous lies getting him nowhere, Genis sighed and resigned himself to telling the truth. "I… I didn't mean any harm. I just… saw something I shouldn't have and panicked. Can you keep a secret?"

"A secret?" Zelos' eyes lit up, and he sat down on the top step, motioning for Genis to sit beside him. "I am a _pro_ at keeping secrets, kid. Elaborate, please."

Genis set his books aside and sat down beside Zelos. "Promise you won't tell Sheena or Lloyd?"

"I promise," Zelos replied with one hand raised. "But why Sheena and Lloyd?"

"Th-they didn't see me, but just now I… accidentally… walked in on them…"

Zelos coughed. "Walked in on them _together_?"

"Yeah."

"Like, _in bed_ together?"

"Yeah- _no!_ " Genis corrected himself before he could cause another big misunderstanding. "I mean, they were just kissing!"

A brief silence followed as Zelos leaned closer. "Kissing _how_? Are we talking, like, minor leagues or major leagues?"

"I have absolutely no idea what that means."

"Fair enough."

Leaning back upright, Zelos closed his eyes and thought it over for a moment. As he did so, a broad smile spread across his face and he began to laugh loudly. The sound echoed through the enclosed stairwell, causing Genis to jump. It was so strange… for the first time since he'd had his body stolen, his voice sounded like _Zelos_ again.

"Oh, man! Oh, _man!_ Sheena and Lloyd! Who would've imagined _those two_? I mean, I knew she had a thing for him, but he's so dense and she's so awkward, I didn't think anything would actually come of it. Guess I underestimated them, huh? What a laugh! Those two dorks were _made_ for each other!"

"I-I knew Lloyd had someone he liked, and he told me that Colette and I knew her, but I didn't pry any more than that. Looking back, I probably should've noticed, but… I don't know. I guess I didn't want to think about it…"

"You don't look happy." Zelos glanced over, hearing the melancholy in Genis' voice. "Shouldn't a guy be thrilled that his best friend was able to score with a total hottie?"

"I'm happy for Lloyd, I really am. But at the same time, I can't help feeling a little jealous."

"Jealous?" Zelos moved closer. "Don't tell me… _you_ like Sheena?"

"What? No!"

"Then you like… _Lloyd_? No judgment, kid, that's totally cool-"

"No! It's not like that!" Genis shook his head. "I'm not jealous of either of them specifically! I'm just jealous of them in _general_. The same with you and Colette."

A look of realization passed over Zelos' face. "Oh, I see. _That_ _'s_ what's got you down."

Genis leaned over and hugged his knees tightly to his chest, resting his head on them as he spoke again. "When Lloyd and Colette and I were kids, we were inseparable. We did _everything_ together. When Lloyd and I joined Colette on her journey of regeneration, I felt like that in itself was a promise that we'd _always_ be together. But now they've found love on their own, and it feels like… I don't know… like I'm _falling_ _behind_."

The stairwell was filled with silence again. Genis glanced over at Zelos in an attempt to read his expression, but Zelos had a surprisingly straight face. It was hard to get an idea of just what he was thinking.

"Tell me something, Genis," Zelos finally said. "How old is Lloyd?"

"Huh? You're his friend too! You should know that-"

"I do. But I want you to tell me."

Genis paused in surprise, but only briefly. "He just turned twenty."

"And what about Colette?"

"Her birthday is in less than a month. She'll be nineteen."

"Okay, good. And now tell me- how old are you?"

Genis was silent for a moment. It wasn't that he couldn't remember the answer, but he had to think about it before he could speak it.

"I'm… _fifteen_."

"Good, good." Zelos nodded. "Now let's do some simple math. What percent of twenty is fifteen?"

"75%," Genis replied. "Three-fourths. I've only been alive for three-fourths of Lloyd's life."

"So you see what I'm getting at."

"I suppose, but-"

Zelos stood up, grabbing Genis' arms and pulling him to his feet as well. "Think about it! Think back to when Lloyd and Colette were fifteen. Had they ever dated anyone before?"

"N-not that I can remember."

"Why are you comparing yourself to them _now_? Sure, you were together as kids, but I can't believe that you did _everything_ together. They had to have been ahead of you in lots of things. Like learning how to walk, or losing their baby teeth, or doing algebra-"

"Actually, _I_ taught Lloyd how to do algebra."

"Yeah, that was a bad example. I should've figured that much." Zelos sighed. "But you do see the point I'm trying to make here, right?"

"I do." Genis closed his eyes. "I hadn't really thought about it that way before. I guess I was so smart as a kid, I always wanted to make people think I was older than I was. I grew up too fast and never realized how young I actually am. Even if I feel like an adult…"

"I don't call you a kid to patronize you. I call you a kid because you _are_ one," Zelos replied. "Don't be so quick to want to grow up and settle down. You can't squander the chances you're given. Besides, I'm sure a handsome guy like you could romance his fair share of girls." He grinned, elbowing Genis. "You should live it up a little before you pick one, y'know?"

Genis' face turned red. "I-I'm not that kind of person! Besides, there's already a girl I like!"

"Oh? At your school?"

"Sh-she…" Genis looked away, trying to hide his intensifying blush. "…she's not a student at the university, but she does live nearby. I'm friends with her sister, so I doubt she thinks of me that way, but… she's really kind, and… funny… and likes a lot of the same things I like…"

Zelos didn't have to see his face to hear the emotion in Genis' voice. " _Awww_ , kid, you've got it _bad_!" He looped his arm around Genis' shoulders and pulled him close. "If you ever need any relationship advice, you come to Zelos, okay? I'll teach you all the tricks of the trade!"

"There's no wayI'm ever coming to you for relationship advice!"

With a sigh, Zelos let go of Genis and shrugged his shoulders. "Fair enough. You're a smart guy, so I'm sure things will work out in your favor." He began down the steps, stopping after a few to look back up. "Believe me, if a person like _me_ can find love, there's hope for anybody out there."

"…Zelos…"

Genis watched him descend the first flight of stairs and then grabbed the books again so that he could run after him. "H-hey, Zelos, wait up! I have one more question!"

"Really? I thought you weren't going to ask me for advice."

"It's not advice, I'm just curious…" The two stopped at the fifth-floor landing so that they could speak directly. "What's your opinion on a relationship between… a half-elf and a human?"

The question had taken Zelos by surprise, if his wide-eyed stare was any indication. "This girl you like… is she a human?"

"No, she's a half-elf too. I'm just asking in general." Genis glanced down at his feet. "Your opinion of half-elves hasn't always been the best, so I was just wondering… what do you think _honestly_?"

Zelos crossed his arms and gave a pensive sigh. "Honestly, huh? Honestly… considering my father's affair and how that turned out, I don't have the best impression of relationships between a human and half-elf. But I suppose that a conflict like the one between my mom and Seles' mom could've happened regardless of race. And, if you really think about it, that interracial relationship is the reason Seles even exists. So, in some respects, I'm grateful. I don't like it, but I'm grateful."

"I see." Genis nodded. "So your general opinion is…?"

"My opinion is, it's tough." Zelos shook his head. "I really can't comment on the relationships of people I don't know. So I can't tell you what I think. I'm sorry if that doesn't answer your question or whatever."

"N-no, that makes sense. I was just wondering what you would do if a human close to you fell in love with a half-elf. Someone like…" Genis glanced away and shifted his weight awkwardly. "…your sister, maybe…"

The feeling of a hand on his shoulder caused Genis to jump. He looked back to see a fiery glare coming from Zelos' eyes.

"… _do you know something about my sister?_ "

His voice was murderous. Genis forgot to breathe for a moment. "N-n-n-no! I didn't say that!"

Zelos didn't move. "Is there a half-elf man after my sister?"

"No!" It wasn't a lie. "There's not- at least, none that I know of!"

"Is Seles interested in some half-elf guy, then?"

"I was talking hypothetically!" Genis pulled Zelos' hand off his shoulder. "D-don't worry so much! I've talked to Hazel, so I know… that Seles… d-doesn't have a man that she's interested in. Not at all."

Zelos had taken his hand back, but he was still glaring intently. "Not at all?"

"Not at all. I promise you."

"Promise?"

"Promise." Genis nodded. "What's that Dwarven Vow? …uh, _there_ _'s no deception worse than a broken promise,_ or something like that. Lloyd always said that when we were kids. Promises are important to us. So I wouldn't lie to you about a promise. Okay?"

Zelos considered it for a moment and then stepped back.

"Alright, fine. I understand. But next time, let's not talk in hypotheticals about my sister, okay?"

"S-sure! That's fine!"

… _I'm so sorry, Miss Hazel… I hope I didn't just make your situation worse…_

The coldness of Zelos' voice made Genis think that their conversation was over, but when he reached the door to enter the resort again, he found Zelos waiting for him. Zelos opened the door and gestured politely for Genis to enter first.

"Hey, Genis?" Zelos spoke as he closed the door behind them. "Thanks."

"Thanks?" Genis repeated. "For _what_?"

There was a pause, and Zelos stared briefly at his hand as he pulled it away from the doorknob. He finally shook his head and reached over to give Genis a playful punch on the shoulder before walking ahead down the hallway.

"Nothing. Just, _thanks_."


	25. Chapter 25

As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 49:  
** _Am mac mar an t-athair.  
_ Like father, like son.

 **25-**

The next day, Genis, Sheena, and Colette joined Lloyd in the library to help him with his research. Genis was a little nervous around Lloyd and Sheena at the beginning, but the tension quickly lifted as it became apparent how comfortable they were, both together and as part of the group. After lunch, Zelos joined them as well, claiming he "had nothing better to do" than read books with them, though Genis had seen him out in the lobby earlier talking with Anna. It looked like something serious, so he didn't want to pry, but whatever it was seemed to have really motivated Zelos. He was the most effective researcher of all of them, navigating the card catalog with the ease of a local in his own hometown. Determined not to be outdone, Genis put his university-student powers into action, grabbing some coffee and attacking the references as though he had a paper due the next day. Meanwhile, Lloyd got easily bogged down by big words, Colette got distracted by pictures, and Sheena got lost amongst the shelves at one point and had to yell for someone to come find her.

All in all, a pretty typical day.

By the time the sun set, they had gone through almost all the library's information on exspheres, artificial beings, and human souls. Lloyd had hoped that he could use the information to piece together what he needed to do, but when he sat down and looked at it, all he could see was a fragmented list of facts. Genis offered that scientific breakthroughs don't just happen spontaneously, but take intense thought and consideration. He suggested that the group rest for the night and think over what they'd learned, and hopefully one of them would have a "eureka moment." It was, after all, only the second night of the comet, so they had time.

Even so, Lloyd found himself in the library again after dinner.

He just… couldn't stop worrying.

The snow had stopped somewhere around mid-afternoon, so Lloyd put his coat on and stepped onto the library balcony to see if the sky had cleared any. Unfortunately, it was still too overcast to see the comet or even any stars. But even so, the sight of the pure white landscape framed by rocky mountains and dark sky helped to calm him. Without the wind blowing, it didn't feel as cold, and Lloyd rested his arms on the railing of the balcony, exhaling his worry into a long, drawn-out sigh. It felt good for once to be alone and think things through.

Or so he thought, anyway. But his relief at the sound of the door opening behind him made him realize how much he needed some company.

"I thought I might find you out here. What are you looking at?"

"Huh? Kratos?" Lloyd turned around. "I'm just looking at the scenery. I came out to look for the comet, but the sky's still clouded over, so I can't see any stars. What are you doing here?"

Kratos stepped out onto the balcony and closed the door behind him. "Same as you. I came to look at the sky." He stepped beside Lloyd, resting his arms on the railing and staring down at the mountainside below. "But there's not much to see, and the scenery is too dark this time of night for much detailed examination. Just a guess here, but are you thinking about your mother? Worried about how the research is going, perhaps?"

Lloyd didn't respond right away. He glanced off at the mountains, shifting his weight awkwardly. "…did Genis tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"We've found lots of information, but can't put it together. It's all really vague, with nothing specific to this situation."

"What exactly were you expecting? A book on the mechanisms of the prototype Angelus exsphere? In a place like _this_?"

The sarcasm in Kratos' voice was obvious, but even so, Lloyd didn't want to acknowledge it. "Yeah, that would've been nice."

Kratos laughed quietly. It was a sound that Lloyd was still getting used to. "You'll never get anywhere in life if you expect such convenient things to be handed to you."

"I-I know that! I just said it would be nice, is all!" He pouted, turning away. "I know I'll have to work and think hard to save Mom. That's what I'm doing. I just… I'm a lot better at the _working_ part than I am at the _thinking_ part!" Lloyd sighed, allowing himself to face toward his father again. "I'm really grateful to all my friends for helping me. We've accomplished so much today that I never could've alone. I had no idea Zelos was so studious, or that Genis knew so many shortcuts for finding information in reference books, or that Colette had become such a good artist…"

"It sounds like you had fun during your little study-session today."

"Ugh, Dad, don't ever use the words _fun_ and _study_ in the same sentence," Lloyd replied.

Kratos shook his head. "Alright, Alright. But you don't have to stop here. Once the comet has disappeared, we won't have to worry about the converter anymore. We can go back to Meltokio and peruse some of Cruxis' archives that have been locked away in the church's basement. It's doubtful they have anything on the Angelus specifically, but various other experiments in Tethe'alla were trying to achieve the same results, so there may be more detailed information there."

"Really? That'd be great!" Lloyd clapped. "I didn't even think of that! Surely some of their experimental data can tell us something."

"Yes, but… the question of whether or not it's what we need to know still remains." Kratos frowned, looking over to catch Lloyd's eyes. "I don't mean to discourage you, Lloyd, but I want you to keep in mind the very _real possibility_ that what you're searching for doesn't exist. That what you hope to do- prolong the existence of an artificial being- might be impossible."

Kratos knew he was treading on dangerous ground with something Lloyd didn't want to hear, but the whole reason he'd come out to meet Lloyd was to broach the subject of what might happen should Anna actually disappear. Lloyd didn't want to face the idea. But the fact was, they had to face it sooner or later. He hoped sooner would make it easier.

"No." Lloyd stated firmly. "It's not impossible."

"Lloyd-"

"It's not impossible to save her. It _can_ _'t_ be. I refuse to accept that as a possibility. I _will_ save her, and-"

"Lloyd-"

"-and I won't let _anyone_ tell me otherwise-"

" _Lloyd, listen to me_." Kratos reached out, grabbing Lloyd's shoulders. "That's not my point. What I want to say is that you… you… have to understand that this may be beyond your control. You shouldn't feel like the responsibility lies only on your shoulders, or that the potential for failure is an indication of your own shortcomings."

Lloyd frowned, his shoulders growing stiff under the weight of Kratos' hands. "…I _know_ that. B-but I promised. I promised Mom and I promised you… I willkeep that promise. I _will._ "

"I appreciate the promise, and I know you mean it. But I don't expect you to do the impossible."

"How many times do I need to tell you, _nothing_ is-"

" _Stop._ " Kratos' grip tightened, cutting off Lloyd's sentence before he could finish. Lloyd looked up in surprise, a brief look of fear passing over his face before Kratos spoke again. "I hear you and I applaud your dedication. I want to think it's possible too. I'll stop being pessimistic about this, I swear. I just want you to know that… if somehow, for whatever reason, Anna disappears… it won't be your fault. I won't blame you. I won't be angry with you or turn my back on you. I'm here for you, no matter what. Got it? _No matter what._ "

Lloyd was speechless. He opened his mouth and closed it again, glancing down at his feet. "…Kratos… _Dad_ , I…"

"You're worried about enough already. You don't need to worry about losing me too if your mother disappears. Do you understand?"

Silence followed as Lloyd thought it over. He bit his lip, still looking away. "I appreciate what you're saying. But if I can't save her, I… I don't think I could ever forgive myself… so I have to-"

" _F_ _àilligeadh a 'sealltainn com-pàirteachas_."

"Huh?"

"Dwarven Vow number 67. _F_ _àilligeadh a 'sealltainn com-pàirteachas_. You know what that one means, don't you?"

"D-dwarven Vow 67," Lloyd repeated, "the translation is ' _failing means you_ _'re playing._ "

"No, look at me. What does it _mean_?"

Lloyd lifted his head up to look at Kratos again. "It means that even if you lose or fail, the fact that you did means you made an effort. And making an effort and failing is better than not trying at all."

"So you see?"

"Yes, I suppose I do."

Kratos let his hands slide off of Lloyd's shoulders, giving him the chance to step away. He stepped back himself, returning to the side of the balcony and resting on the railing as he waited for Lloyd to begin the conversation again. There was a definite chance that Lloyd would take off, not wanting to continue the conversation, and he was prepared for that. But Lloyd stepped up to the railing beside him.

"Dad, have you… been studying the Dwarven Vows?"

"O-oh, that?" Kratos stammered. "Well, more specifically I've been studying the Dwarven language. Your mother and I used it to communicate in secret when we were on the run from Cruxis, so I haven't used it much since she hasn't been around. The Dwarven Vows are the best remaining resources on the language, so I found myself studying them specifically. I found that one particularly relevant."

Lloyd leaned his head against Kratos' shoulder. "Aw, and here I thought you might be studying them to get closer to me."

Despite the still-serious tone of the conversation, Kratos couldn't fight a small smile. "That _is_ a bonus benefit, I suppose."

"And how did Mom learn to speak Dwarven anyway?"

"Her grandmother taught her. The Irving family has Dwarven heritage- _Irbhinn_ is actually a Dwarven name. I believe Anna's great-great-great… _great_ grandmother was a dwarf, but she-"

Lloyd slammed his hands on the railing, cutting Kratos' sentence short. "Wait! You're telling me that my great-great-great-great-great grandmother was a _dwarf_?! That means I'm…" He stopped and counted on his fingers. "…one- _fifth_ Dwarf?!"

" _No_ , that's not quite how the math works-"

"I can't believe it! That's incredible! Just wait until I tell Dad-" Lloyd stopped. "Er, I mean, Dirk…"

"I know who you meant. There's no need to specify when context clues can fill in the blanks."

"…contest clues?"

" _Context clues_ ," Kratos repeated. "You learned about those in your language arts classes, didn't you?"

Lloyd was silent, his face blank.

"Well, in any case, it's exciting to think that I have Dwarven blood, even if it's just a little bit…"

 _He totally ignored the question!_

Kratos sighed, looking out onto the landscape again. "I'm glad you think so."

The wind picked up slightly overhead, blowing a few snowflakes off the roof onto their heads. Kratos looked up to see if there was any snow falling from the sky, but the clouds above were still quiet. Lloyd, on the other hand, didn't seem to notice the snow falling on them. He was preoccupied with his own thoughts.

"Hey, Dad? Thanks for… for telling me this."

Kratos turned back to look at Lloyd. "Hm? It's nothing; I forgot that you probably weren't aware of your mother's heritage-"

"No, not about the dwarf thing." Lloyd cut him off. "What you said before. The truth is… I was kinda afraid that if I let Mom disappear, you'd never forgive me. So… _thank you_."

"I wouldn't _need_ to forgive you. There would be nothing to forgive." Kratos reached out and placed a hand on Lloyd's shoulder, tugging him closer again. "You aren't _letting_ Anna disappear. You're doing anything and everything you can to save her.

"Right, but… even if _you_ forgive me, I'm not sure _I_ could forgive me." Lloyd pulled away from Kratos' side, shaking his head. "That's why I'm _definitely_ not going to fail. I said I'd save her, and that's what I'm going to do! No matter what, I-"

His voice cut off as he felt Kratos' hand settle on his head. "It's incredible. You sound so much like her when you talk like that. She was always _so_ competitive, she hated to lose."

"I've noticed that," Lloyd replied. "When she started helping out at the cafe, Miss Lucia was always complimenting her hard work. It felt like she was trying to one-up all of us regular employees."

"That sounds like her." Kratos gave Lloyd's hair a soft tousle before removing his hand again. "She and I were always making bets. She was a sore loser, and an even _sorer_ _winner._ "

"Oh? What kind of things did you bet on?"

"Just trivial things. Things like the weather or the outcome of a card game." He paused to think about it. "Actually, we made a lot of bets about _you_."

Lloyd flinched. "Me? So I'm a trivial thing?!"

"N-no, no. Not you. Just things you did- things like what your first word would be, or when you'd learn to walk. We even had a bet going on before you were born about whether you'd be a boy or a girl."

"Oh!" The revelation piqued Lloyd's interest, and he stood up straighter. "You won that one, huh?"

Kratos looked away. "Actually I didn't. Your mother was so convinced that you were a boy, and it wouldn't have been any fun if I didn't bet against her."

"You… really thought I'd be a _girl_?"

"It wasn't that. I was just humoring Anna. All I cared about was whether you were born safe and healthy."

Lloyd cracked a smile. "Sure, _sure_. Whatever you say. What'd you two wager over that, anyway? Just the satisfaction of knowing you were right?"

"Well, there was that." Kratos took his hands off the railing, stepping back to get a better view of the cloudy sky. "She didn't shut up about it until you were at least a year old, but… we also decided that whoever was right would name the baby. So _Lloyd_ is the name that Anna picked out for you. She put a lot of time and effort into choosing a name she thought would suit you best; the one that she thought was…" He paused before continuing with a roll of his eyes. "…the 'c _oolest_.' Not the most intellectual of criteria, but considering how alike you two are, I think it's perfect."

"Names, huh?" Lloyd smiled and closed his eyes, resting his arms on the balcony railing again. "Sheena told me that when someone gives you a name, that name contains their wishes and dreams for you. I never really thought about who named me or where the name came from before, but… I'm so glad to know it now. To know that my name is a show of Mom's love for me, it makes me feel like she'll always be with me no matter what happens."

"That's true," Kratos murmured. "She will."

Lloyd shifted his weight and stretched his arms, leaning backwards and twirling around so that he could rest his back against the railing instead. He turned his head upward, hoping that by some miracle, the clouds would have cleared and the comet would be visible. But the sky was still obscured, the swirling mass of clouds staining the dark sky behind the mountains. Disappointed, he let out a slow sigh, watching the air in front of his mouth cloud over as well. It was cold, he was tired, and a a mug of hot cocoa by the fire was calling his name. But there was one more thing on his mind.

"Sheena invited me for a cup of cocoa in the lobby, so I'd better not keep her waiting. But can I ask you one more question?"

"What's that?"

"I'm just curious… what would my name have been if I were a girl? I mean, what name would _you_ have given me?"

Silence followed, and Lloyd could see a mix of surprise and thoughtfulness play out over Kratos' features. "Why do you ask?"

"W-well, I… maybe I'm being nosy, but I'd like to know what hopes and wishes you would've given me if you'd named me. It's not fair that Mom be the only one to express that, right?"

Lloyd half-expected Kratos to protest, or to give him some sort of cryptic answer that would keep him up all night thinking about it. But Kratos' answer was only one word, so simple and to-the-point that Lloyd almost missed it.

"Ida."

"Huh?" Lloyd leaned forward, unsure that he'd caught the response.

" _Ida_ ," Kratos repeated. "The name I chose to give my daughter, if I had one, was Ida."

"Y-you… that's…"

"It's a mythological reference. The famous mountain, Mt. Ida, was a safe haven in the origin story of the god Zeus. The name represents protection and-"

"And hope!" Lloyd finished. "Hope for a bright future! It was _you!_ "

Kratos frowned. "Me? What are you talking about? I'm not-"

"Mom told me that the name 'Ida' means hope! She remembered someone telling her that because she thought it was her name! But it wasn't her name after all…" He paused, face lighting up in realization. "…it was _mine_."

"Well, I suppose it was in a way…"

"Thank you, Dad!"

Kratos let out a sharp exhale as Lloyd threw his arms around his chest, knocking the air out of him. He wasn't able to move at first, too busy processing the feeling of having Lloyd pressed against his chest. How long ago had it been that Lloyd was small enough for Kratos to carry, the little boy's head resting against his shoulders as he drifted off to sleep in the warmth of his father's arms…?

 _Too long_. Kratos hesitantly wrapped his arms back around Lloyd's shoulders. " _You_ _'re welcome_."

Lloyd seemed content to stand like that, so it was Kratos who had to release his grip and step away, motioning back toward the door. "We'll have plenty of time for this later. You'd better go so your girlfriend doesn't think you've forgotten about her."

"R-right!" Lloyd snapped to attention, turning around on his heels. He stopped only momentarily before he reached the door. "Wait a minute! H-how did you…? I mean, we haven't said anything…"

"If you're trying to keep it a secret, then I assure you that it's safe with me. But your expressions and mannerisms at breakfast this morning made it very clear that something had happened between you two. Last night, I presume?"

"Y-yeah." Lloyd nodded. "I didn't think I was acting any differently, though."

Kratos opened the door and let Lloyd enter first before following and closing the door behind him. "You're very expressive- it's pretty easy to read you when something happens."

"Sorry." Lloyd blushed and looked away.

"Sorry for what? You're an adult now. Your life and decisions are your own business. I'm just here to support you if you need me." Kratos wagged a stern finger in Lloyd's direction. "Remember to stay safe. Use protection."

" _D-D-D-DAD!_ _"_ The statement left Lloyd absolutely mortified. He began to glance around the library frantically, making sure no one had overheard."I-it's not like _that_! N-not at all! And even if it was, you shouldn't say embarrassing stuff like that where people can hear!"

"Embarrassing?" Kratos shrugged his shoulders. "I thought you wanted me to be your dad. Tactless but important life advice is part of the dad package."

"That's not faaaaair…"

* * *

Anna watched from behind one of the bookshelves as Kratos approached Lloyd on the balcony. She wasn't going to pry into their personal time, but she at least wanted to make sure that the conversation had gone smoothly. She hadn't forgotten the warnings she'd received from Zelos about latent anger and grudges. It was hard to forget… especially when he was standing beside her.

"Should we really be spying on them?" Zelos whispered. "I mean, not that I'm one to be talking about ethics, but…"

"We're not spying on them!" Anna defended. "It's not like they're in a private place! Anyone in the library could look out the window and see them."

"Right. So then what's the point of hiding behind the shelf?"

Anna didn't reply right away. "…a-alright, we're _kind of_ spying on them. But it's not like we're listening into their conversation. I'm just concerned. I have a right to be worried, don't I?""

Zelos laughed. "Don't worry, Mom. I'm the last person who could criticize you for spying on others. But aren't you the one who said that your time is precious? Why don't you come hang out with Colette and me? She wanted me to teach her a few tricks on the piano. You like music, right?"

She glanced back out at the balcony with a frown. It looked like Lloyd and Kratos were getting along well, so perhaps there wasn't anything to worry about.

"Is it alright for us to be so carefree? Have you heard from Yuan about what's happening at the storage facility?"

The reminder put a damper on Zelos' cheerful expression. "Ah… yes, I spoke with him about an hour ago. He hasn't seen any sign of Orrison- or _anyone_ \- trying to break into the barrier they've set up. It's possible that Orrison has interacted with the barrier without interfering with it, but if that's the case, then it's possible he's given up and left the area entirely to escape the storm… and Yuan thinks that might be bad news for any hope of getting my body back…"

"…Zelos…" Anna murmured.

"But I don't think that's the case!" Zelos shook his head. "Kratos agrees with me that Orrison doesn't seem the type to give up so easily. He was _really_ determined when I fought with him last. Wherever he's hiding and whatever he's planning, I'm sure he's still around here somewhere."

Anna smiled, comforted by Zelos' conviction. She began leading the way back out toward the lobby and up the grand staircase. "I agree. There's still two more nights that the comet will be in the sky. Orrison has time."

Zelos still found his new height awkward every time he reached for the railing on the stairs and found that he had missed by a few inches entirely. "But not a lot of it. If he's waiting this long, it means that, when he _does_ take action, it's going to be a fast job. There won't be time for errors or regrouping. And besides that, something's not quite right with him. I want to find out what that is so that maybe he can get some help."

"Help? What sort of help are you talking about?"

"Well, he…" Zelos paused at the top of the staircase. "…he tried to commit suicide years ago by overdosing on some sort of herbal vasoconstrictor. Supposedly, he-"

" _Vasa-what_?" Anna interrupted him. "Isn't a constrictor, like, some kind of snake?"

"N-no… I mean, yes, but…" Zelos shook his head. "A vasoconstrictor closes up blood vessels to stop bleeding. It's a medicine."

"Oh. Why didn't you say that in the first place?"

Zelos ignored her question. "A-anyway, he said that he died and revived, but I don't buy it. I think that it messed with his brain function somehow, but without knowing the specific medication, I can't tell what the effects would be." He reached the top of the staircase, closing his eyes and letting out a strained sigh.

Anna frowned, but nodded her head. "I don't know much about medicine, but maybe we could ask someone who does. What was this medicine used to treat? Bleeding, you said-"

"Yeah. He was retrieving it for a midwife, so it was specifically post-partum bleeding. I know a good deal about medicine, but that's a realm I don't exactly have experience in." Zelos shrugged his shoulders. "And I'm sure your memories haven't recovered enough for you to remember when _you_ had a baby-"

"There were a few medicines we kept on hand," Anna began, not even bothering to wait for him to finish. She had to translate the memory into speech before she lost it. "When I was pregnant with Lloyd, I bled sometimes. Not a lot, but because we were in hiding I couldn't see any special doctors to make sure everything was okay. Kratos got really worried about what might happen when the baby was born, so he risked getting discovered and bought a bunch of medicines just in case. Maybe he'd know what medicine Orrison had."

Zelos let out a slight " _hmm_ " as he thought it over. He honestly couldn't imagine Kratos as a flighty, nervous father-to-be, so he questioned the accuracy of Anna's memory. But he didn't have any questions about Kratos' impressive knowledge base. If anyone would know something about medicine, it would be the man who'd witnessed four-thousand years of medical advances.

"That sounds like a good idea. Later tonight I'll ask him and see if he-"

" _Zelos! Miss Anna_!"

The two turned around to see Colette approaching them from down the hallway. "Heya, Colette!" Zelos waved. "We were on our way to the ballroom if you wanted to-"

Colette interrupted, unable to focus on that. "Do you remember what I did with my bracelet?"

"Bracelet? You mean the one with the wooden beads you were wearing the other day?"

"Yeah. I hadn't thought about it in all the confusion, but while I was researching today, I realized I didn't have it. Sheena and I have gone through everything in our room, and we can't find it. I can't remember where I put it, and-"

"Calm down, calm down." Zelos placed his hands on her shoulders, gently massaging her muscles in an attempt to quell her outburst. "We'll find your bracelet, don't worry-"

"We have to! _Lloyd_ made me that bracelet for my birthday last year-"

"Yes, yes, we _will_. Stop yelling and let's retrace your steps. I know you were wearing it the other night when we were on the mountain. You took a bath after we got back. Did you maybe take it off then?"

"…" Colette silently nodded her head. "…I did…" she murmured. "I left it on the hook by the bath. I must've forgotten to put it on afterwards…"

"If that's the case, then it should still be there. Let's go up to the fifth floor and look." He looked back at Anna. "Will you excuse us for a few minutes? It shouldn't be long."

Anna frowned. "I don't mind, but isn't the fifth floor off-limits? They told us it was too dangerous with the damage the way it is."

Zelos just shrugged. "We'll be in and out. Nobody has to know."

"Please, Miss Anna." Colette clasped her hands. "That was a special gift from Lloyd. I'll feel better once I find it."

"Well… okay. I'll wait for you in the ballroom, then."

* * *

Colette and Zelos' footsteps echoed over the hotel floor as they maneuvered around the debris in the hallway. Without artificial light, it was difficult to see where they were going, and the risk of tripping over something was serious- especially with Colette's lack of coordination. Zelos took a lamp with him from his room, but even so, he had to keep one hand on the back of Colette's dress to keep her from losing her balance every time her foot hit a piece of wood or a pockmark in the floor.

It was slow going, but they finally reached the King Salmon Suite at the end of the hallway.

Colette poked her head into the door of the suite as she pressed the door open. She had been in the room before to recover some of their belongings, but that had been during daylight hours, when it was easy to see everything. Now that it was dark, the room took on a different look. The rattling of the windows under the stress of the wind elongated the shadows into something darker and more menacing than any everyday object had the right to be.

Zelos stepped around her, shining the light in his hand along the floor so that they could see where they were walking. "C'mon. This way."

She followed him closely, keeping one hand on his shoulder. They inched their way through the room, past the window Colette had left open and the radiator that Zelos had used to warm the room afterward. But as they had made it midway through, they stopped. A sound from beyond the ensuite door had caught their ears. Zelos held out an arm to stop Colette.

"Shh."

The two waited out the next few seconds to analyze the sounds, and recognized the eerie sound of something- or _someone_ breathing.

Colette called out first. "Who's there? This floor is supposed to be off-limits."

After a tense moment of silence, a low voice answered.

"…C-Colette? Oh, thank goodness!"

A tense surprise took hold of Colette and Zelos as they recognized the voice. The man it belonged to peeked out of the ensuite, revealing a familiar face- albeit covered by a mass of tangled red hair. His own wide eyes mirrored theirs, and they barely found the voice to speak.

"… _Orrison?_ "


	26. Chapter 26

As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 44  
** _Gabhaidh an connadh fliuch, ach cha ghabh a_ _' chlach.  
_ Though wet kindling may start a fire, a stone never will.

 **26-**

"… _Orrison?_ "

Colette and Zelos both spoke his name at once. Colette immediately flinched, striking a defensive pose in front of Zelos. "Don't move!" she commanded. "What are you doing here?"

Zelos was frozen in place, too horrified to move. The sight in front of him was like something out of his nightmares- y'know, the ones where he showed up to an important meeting or party on a bad-hair-day, or with something disgusting spilled over his shirt. Orrison was an absolute _mess_. It wasn't an understatement to say that he looked as though, in the two days that had passed, he hadn't seen a bath, a hairbrush, or even a bed. Zelos was almost sick as he thought about how difficult his curly locks were to brush, even when properly managed. To steal Zelos Wilder's beautiful body and not even take proper care of it… sympathy be damned, Zelos wanted to _strangle_ Orrison.

"Colette! I'm so glad to see you… I can't tell you how scared I've been-"

" _What are you doing here?_ " Colette repeated her question, cutting him off. "Don't try to chat with us until you explain yourself."

Orrison's smile faltered. "W-we? Who's that with you? That's not-" He gasped. "- _Zelos?_ You're alive? Oh, _thank goodness-_ "

"GIVE COLETTE AN ANSWER, DAMMIT."

Orrison's face turned pale. "I… I… I had to come here. I have nowhere else to go. There's no way to get into the storage, and the weather on the mountain is too bad. I managed to sneak in from the roof, but I couldn't find anyone on the fifth floor. What happened? How did you turn back into a human?"

"My sister saved me- but that's not important right now." Zelos shook his head. He was beginning to calm down, realizing that he and Colette had been given a unique opportunity to speak with Orrison without their friends interfering. "How long have you been hiding here in the resort?"

"Not long. I haven't been hiding, honest. I just thought to explore the fifth floor before doing anything else, but when I heard someone come into the suite, I got scared and ran to hide in the bath." He took a step towards them, but Colette moved as though preparing an attack, and he flinched in response, waiting to hear what she had to say.

"If you have the urge to hide, then you know you've done something wrong," she spoke. "You have to stop."

Orrison wrapped his arms around his chest, stepping backwards. "Not you too, Colette. If anyone out there understood the importance of my mission, I was sure it would be you. You who knows what it feels like to have the salvation of the world riding on your shoulders… to be willing to make whatever sacrifices necessary to know that the people you love will be able to smile…"

The statement gave Colette pause, and Zelos felt her arm in front of him stiffen. For a few seconds, no one spoke, the sound of their pensive breaths covered up by the rattling of the windowpanes against the outside wind.

"Do you… really believe this will save the world?" Colette finally whispered.

"I believe that this world is beyond saving," Orrison replied. "This world stands in the way of people who love each other being together. I believe that, for the sake of everyone, I have to eliminate that barrier. Does that make sense to you?"

There was a pause. Zelos' breath caught in his throat as he waited for Colette's answer. Orrison already knew what _he_ thought of the plan. But Colette, with her past, might feel differently.

"…no. No, it doesn't make sense to me."

"B-but Colette-!"

"All the good times I've had with the people I love have happened in this world. This world is home to so much more than just people; there are flowers and dogs and waterfalls and candy… and so, so many memories. What's the point of being with the people you love when there's nowhere for you to _be_?"

"This world is made of suffering."

"This world is _beautiful_." Colette inched forward, almost as a challenge. "Don't you want to take the time to see that before trying to destroy it?"

A look of despondence fell over Orrison's features. As he spoke, it sounded like he was choking back tears. "But Colette… aren't there people who've died that you want to see again? People you want to be with, to thank, to apologize to, or just to _talk to_? Haven't you ever felt sorrow at a person's death and wish you could _change_ that? We _can._ "

The statement gave Colette pause again, and her face turned down to focus on the floor. A look of fright passed over her features as her mind raced with the thoughts of all the death she'd witnessed.

"…yes, I've felt sorrow for people who've died. There are people I couldn't save and people who willingly gave their life for me because they believed in me as the Chosen. But… but…" She lifted her head again, clenching her fists. "…why do you think those people gave their lives for me in the first place? Why do you think those who suffered in Sylvarant were willing to hang on until the bitter end? It's because they believed in the regenerated world, Orrison! If anything, I want them to know that we've created a united world, with no need for a Chosen anymore! If I were to destroy that once we've gotten this far, wouldn't all their effort be in vain? Why would you want to destroy the world when it's finally become what everyone hoped and prayed for?"

Orrison was momentarily speechless, Zelos found himself lost for words as well. He was surprised by her perspective, how she'd responded to the question that was so similar to one that he'd asked Lloyd long ago. ' _But think about it,_ _'_ he'd insisted, _'you'd disappear too_.' And still Lloyd fought him. But now under the same circumstances, Colette- Lloyd's best friend, his sister, practically his _conjoined twin_ \- had a completely different perspective. Lloyd drew his optimism from potential. He looked to the future and saw things that might be. But Colette found optimism without looking toward the future. She found happiness in the here and now, in what _already was,_ rather than speculating on what _might be_. The future argument might be countered or doubted, but there was no denying what was right in front of you.

Or so Zelos thought.

"NO! You don't get it at all!" Orrison yelled, prompting Zelos to grab Colette and tug her back to keep out of harm's way. "I should've known not to trust someone not initiated by the Great Divine… the Chosen of a false goddess…"

Zelos stiffened. "Martel was no goddess, but she was at least a _real person_ and not a drug-induced hallucina-"

"Orrison, please." Through it all, Colette was keeping a frighteningly calm demeanor. "You have to stop. Give Zelos his body back and disarm your weapon. We can spend the rest of the festival together- as _friends_. There's no bringing back people you've lost, so why don't you appreciate those you still have? We're _here_ for you." She shook off Zelos' grip and stepped forward to Orrison, offering a hand. "Trust us."

He glanced back and forth between her smile and her hand a few times, and then reached out a timid hand of his own. He was able to envelop her smaller hand in his grip, and she laced her fingers around his-

" _AH!_ "

With a soft, fluid jerk, Orrison pulled Colette into a headlock, drawing a knife from his belt. He moved to hold it against Colette's neck, but he wasn't fast enough to contend with her reflexes. She elbowed him in the stomach, causing him to double over and allowing her a better grip on his arm to flip him over her head and onto the floor. It all happened before Zelos could even process the situation, so by the time he realized what was going on, Orrison was already on the floor with Colette's foot on his chest. His eyes were wide with surprise.

"Colette… please…" Tears pooled at the sides of his eyes as he spoke. "I'm sorry for what I said. I _know_ you can understand if you just try. _Please,_ at least think about it. This will help everyone."

Colette shook her head. "What will it take to get you to stop this? What do we need to do in order to change your mind?"

"My mind will never change! This is my destiny! I'll never give it up or stop fighting for it! You'll have to kill me first!"

The atmosphere in the room grew suddenly colder. Zelos walked over to Colette and motioned for her to move her foot. She did so, releasing Orrison to sit up and allowing Zelos to step in.

"Then how about this? What'll it take to get you to return my body?"

"I can't," Orrison spat. "I need a Cruxis Crystal."

"Why?"

"Because I need to be angel to destroy the world. In my vision, I was an angel."

"Why?"

"H-huh?" The stern look on Orrison's face disappeared. "What do you mean, why?"

"Why do you need to be an angel to destroy the world?" Zelos leaned down to better communicate with him. "I know your vision told you that you needed to, but did it ever tell you why?"

"I refuse to question the reasoning behind a being powerful enough to wake me from the dead. That power functions beyond our understanding."

Zelos frowned. "Did you ever maybe stop and consider that you woke up because you _didn_ _'t actually die_?"

Orrison shook his head. "But the shaking, the visions, losing my foot…"

"Your foot turning black and being amputated? That sounds more like _gangrene_ than a near-death experience. And a lot of drugs can cause convulsions and hallucinations. This could all be in your head."

" _NO!_ "

"You have to face the reality that this whole thing might be something you constructed in your head."

" _NO!_ "

"I know it's hard, but sometimes you just have to-"

"Zelos, stop." Colette reached out and grabbed his arm. "It's too much for him right now."

"But…"

"Orrison, listen to me." Colette knelt down and took Orrison's hand, helping him to his feet. "You said you wouldn't return Zelos' body because you need a Cruxis Crystal, right?"

"Y-yes."

"Then I'll give you mine."

A surprised sound escaped Zelos' mouth momentarily, and he resisted the urge to tug on Colette's arm. She wasn't serious, was she?

"R-really?" Orrison drew closer to her, a smile returning to his face.

"Yes, but _only_ if you give us Zelos' body back first. Okay?"

Zelos could see Orrison's- _his_ \- body visibly contract. "Is that really fair? That you get what you want first? Besides, even if I have a Cruxis Crystal, it means nothing without that converter. I need both of them. How about you give me _both_ for Zelos' body back?"

Immediately, Zelos and Colette gave simultaneous answers.

" _No way-_ " "Deal."

Zelos froze.

"Oh, _thank you_ , Colette!" Orrison threw himself at her, wrapping his arms around her tightly. She didn't reciprocate the gesture.

"It's too dark to venture out tonight. Meet us at the storage facility tomorrow at noon. We'll give you the converter, then you give Zelos back his body. Only then will you get the Cruxis Crystal. Understand?"

"Yes! I understand!"

Zelos was floored. He couldn't believe what he was hearing- from _Colette_ of all people! He opened his mouth to say something to her, but the first words that came to his mind were ' _do you really want my body that badly?_ _'_ and an embarrassing realization that he couldn't possibly say _that_ out loud prevented him from doing anything.

Colette took a step back. "If you come downstairs, someone might question you. It's probably better to stay up here on the fifth floor for now, since no one will bother you. Feel free to turn on the radiator or take a bath-"

"Oh, that's right!" Orrison interrupted, digging into his pants pocket. "I found this on the hook by the bath. Isn't it yours?"

Colette snatched the bracelet. "Y-yes! Thank you!"

"No, Colette. Thank _you_. For everything."

Zelos kept his mouth closed. He didn't like where this was going, and he prayed that Colette knew what she was doing.

* * *

No one was happy to hear that Orrison was hiding right under their noses- or, above, as the case with the fifth floor might be. But Colette wasn't shy about explaining her reasoning behind what she was doing. Zelos knew he shouldn't be surprised, after their earlier declarations of feelings, but he was still amazed by how intently she was fighting for him. More than anything he wanted to be back in a body that felt like his. But he knew that the safety of the world should come first, and was willing to make sacrifices if need be. It was just nice to have someone telling him that he didn't have to choose.

Colette, on the other hand, didn't think anything of it. Lloyd had taught her the importance of fighting for her friends. But despite his encouragement, he was quiet during their planning meeting. The premise was simple: Colette had negotiated the trade with Orrison, but made no guarantees about what would come after. Once her Cruxis Crystal was in his hands, anything was fair game. An ambush was the only way to be sure that he couldn't put his plan into motion. It was decided that Zelos and Colette would meet Orrison at first, so as not to tip him off about their plans, but Lloyd, Sheena, Genis, Hazel, and Yuan would be waiting as backup. Kratos' insistence on joining was shot down by Lloyd, who begged him to keep Anna and Seles safe at the resort in case things went badly. Hazel didn't want to be separated from her mistress, but Seles insisted that the best thing she could do was to protect Zelos. Thus, the decisions had been made, and all arguments to the contrary were shut down before they could be brought up. There was no time to be squabbling at this point.

Still, Colette knew Lloyd too well to miss his attitude. She saw Genis trailing him after the conversation had broken up, and followed the two. Whatever was going on in Lloyd's mind, she wanted to be a part of it- and Genis had just the place they could go for some guaranteed privacy.

"Dwarven Vow number 18 says that it's better to be deceived than to deceive." Lloyd looked up at the sky above them, following the dark patches in the clouds as the wind blew them past. "I know that we're trying to save the world and all, but I don't like the idea of an ambush on principle. It feels too much like we're tricking him."

"But Lloyd, if we don't…" Genis spoke up, pausing to turn so that his back was against the wind. The roof was an undeniably private place, but it didn't offer any cover from the wind or the occasional snowflakes that were beginning to fall once again. "…we don't know what's going to happen. I know Orrison was a friend of yours, but you can't let that blind you to the damage that he could do to the world." He glanced away. "I know that better than anyone."

Lloyd reached out to take Genis' hand and pulled him over toward the door to sit down against the wall. Colette followed and sat on the other side, leaning against him with her head on his shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Lloyd, Genis. I couldn't think of anything else to do at this point."

"No, Colette. I think you did the right thing." Lloyd shook his head. "Using the converter to lure Orrison back was the plan originally. I wouldn't say he was my friend, but the fact that my talk of an exsphere journey is how he got himself into this mess, I feel responsible for him. He never seemed like a bad guy to me, but maybe that's because I never knew him outside of work."

"He has a kind heart," Colette offered, showing her bracelet. "Zelos says that he only turned to this weird religion after he lost his family to the Desians. Can we really fault him for that? I want to help him, but he won't accept the kind of help he needs. So we have to get through to him another way." A moment after she finished speaking, she sneezed and wiped her nose on her sleeve. Lloyd and Genis simultaneously tugged at their coats to offer to her, but they bumped into one another in their attempts and Colette laughed. "Don't worry about me. You guys are the ones who're backing me up."

Genis gave her a teasing nudge. "We didn't travel halfway around the world to let you do this on your own, y'know."

"I have faith in my and Zelos' abilities, but having everyone backing us up is reassuring. I know we'll be able to fix this!"

"That's the spirit!" Genis reached up and offered her a hand for a high-five. She started to reciprocate, but she noticed Lloyd glancing in the opposite direction with a frown, and she lowered her hand with an apologetic nod toward Genis. He understood what she was getting at, and called over. "Something still bothering you, Lloyd?"

Lloyd jolted in surprise at his name. "Huh? Oh, uh, not really! I was just thinking…"

"Don't hurt yourself."

It was a response Lloyd had heard so many times before that it didn't even faze him, and he didn't react beyond a teasing nudge back toward Genis. "There's actually something I was hoping I could ask Colette."

"Me?" Colette adjusted her scarf so that it wasn't in the way of her mouth. "What is it?"

"I know you and Zelos are the ones who've been involved with Orrison this whole time, and I don't know him nearly as well. But I wanted to ask if… instead of being on back-up, you would let me be part of the meeting group. I want to speak to Orrison before we resort to any sort of violence. I want to know that I did everything I could to resolve the situation peacefully. It's not my fault, I know, but I still feel partially responsible for this mess. So… would you let me come with you?"

Colette closed her eyes and smiled. "I don't see any reason why our greeting duo couldn't be a threesome. If it were up to me, I'd let you join in a heartbeat- having you around always makes me feel better, after all. But…" She opened her eyes again, the smile on her face mellowing into something more pensive. "…Zelos feels really strongly about Orrison. I think he sees part of himself in Orrison, the way he's fallen into despair and wants the world to be destroyed. I don't yet know Zelos intimately enough to truly understand that connection, but it's still something I can't ignore. So I think Zelos is the one you should ask."

The look that passed between them held enough meaning in it that Lloyd was satisfied, and he replied with a nod of his head. "Thanks. I'll ask him, then."

* * *

Lloyd's frantic knocking on the door was met by a tired-looking Hazel, who didn't seem particularly pleased to see him.

"Yes, Master Lloyd? Can I help you?"

"I want to talk to Zelos, please." Lloyd leaned into the room, calling past Hazel. "Zelos? You awake?"

Zelos' voice came muffled from under a pillow. "I'm trying to _not_ be. Can this wait until tomorrow?"

"No," Lloyd replied. "It's important. Can you come out here so we can talk?"

There was a prolonged groaning noise from Zelos, but he pulled himself from the bed and walked out into the hallway with a wave toward Hazel. "This had better not take long. C'mon, lets go over this way so that we don't wake Seles."

The two made their way to the end of the hallway, Zelos stopping to sit on the windowsill. He rested his head in one hand, staring up at Lloyd expectantly.

"Alright. What was so important that it couldn't wait?"

"W-well…" Lloyd suddenly found himself flustered, trying to figure out the most tactful way to insert himself into this incredibly personal situation. He didn't have any right to claim it was for Orrison's sake, at least as far as Zelos was concerned, so he had to find another reason. "Tonight I've been thinking- er, well, I've been thinking about it the past few days, but all the talk from you and Colette tonight has _really_ made me realize I had to do something, and… um, that is, regarding… regarding you and Colette, you're both so important to me, and I… um…"

Zelos couldn't help an amused smile. He reached out and tapped Lloyd on the forehead. "Hurry up, would ya? You know you can ask me anything, so there's no need to be shy." With a laugh and a wink, he added "This isn't your roundabout way of asking for a threesome, is it?"

"Oh!" Lloyd stood up straight again. "Y-yes, that's it!"

There was a long pause. Zelos was frozen for so long, Lloyd almost got nervous.

"Zelos? Is something wrong with that?"

"W-wait. You're _serious_?"

"I've never been more serious in my life." Lloyd nodded his head. "Please."

"Wh-what? That's- er, _what_?" Zelos was suddenly spluttering, almost lost for a response. Lloyd hadn't expected this kind of reply. It didn't exactly sound positive.

"Are you against it?"

Zelos stood up from the windowsill, waving his hands wildly. "I-I… I mean, it's just so sudden and _unexpected_. I didn't think you were the type to… er, I mean, _what brought this on_?"

Lloyd took a step back, but his expression remained determined. "I know that, as your and Colette's friend, it's my job to support you no matter what. But with things the way they are, I'm just not content to be on the sidelines. You understand that, right?"

Zelos' face had been oddly pale this whole time, but it was suddenly flushed with red as he reached out and pulled Lloyd closer. Lloyd stiffened, fearing the worst. _His face is bright red. Is he really that angry?_

"Listen, Lloyd…" Zelos had lowered his voice to a whisper. "…normally for this sort of thing, my policy is _the-more-the-merrier_. But in this case, I have two concerns."

"Concerns?" Lloyd ventured. "What about?"

Zelos counted on his fingers. " _One_ , I know that you and Colette aren't related, but you kinda have a brother-sister vibe going on, and I'm not sure what to think about that. _Two,_ and this may just be thanks to the rumor mill, but I'm curious… how exactly does Sheena fit into all of this?"

"Sheena?" Lloyd shook his head. "What about her? She's going to be on back-up, just like Genis and Hazel. And yeah, of course I love Colette like my sister- we grew up together. That's why I want to go with you two tomorrow so that I can help protect her. Please, won't you let me meet Orrison with you tomorrow?"

There was a long silence again, and Lloyd nervously awaited Zelos' response. He couldn't read Zelos' expression, it was a mix of too many emotions.

"So… you're saying that… you want to join Colette and me to meet Orrison tomorrow, just the _three_ of us? That's what you're asking?"

"Yes."

"A threesome _adventuring party_ , is that right?"

"That's right."

Zelos' hand was shaking, but he managed to give Lloyd a nudge against his arm. "W-well, if you're going to do that, you need to go get some rest. I don't want my teammate tired tomorrow, 'kay?"

A smile spread across Lloyd's face. "Oh, Zelos! Thank you!" He threw his arms around Zelos, taking advantage of the new height difference to lift his friend off the floor a short distance.

"N-no problem. But in return…"

"Hmm?" Lloyd let go. "In return?"

"You need to come have lunch with me in Meltokio sometime so that I can teach you some local slang. Because you _really_ need to expand your vocabulary."

Lloyd didn't really understand, but he agreed nonetheless.


	27. Chapter 27

As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 4:**  
 _Chan eil an crochadh air daoine eile 'na casan a' coiseachd._ _ **  
**_Don't depend on others. Walk on your own two legs.

 **27-**

The day's mission was nearly upended before it began that morning with a startling realization.

Yuan had disappeared, and no one knew where he was.

Kratos was livid. He cursed, berating Yuan for ' _leaving a bunch of kids to defuse the situation.'_ Lloyd assured him that they were fine on their own and insisted that Kratos stay at the resort with Anna and Seles. Besides- if everything went as planned, Lloyd hoped that they wouldn't have to resort to fighting Orrison at all.

He could at least hope, couldn't he?

The wind was still blowing, but the snow had stopped falling, and it was easier to see the landscape. Orrison met them at the gate to the storage facility, a look of eager excitement on his face. Lloyd braced himself to see Orrison drop his end of the bargain and run off as soon as they entered, but, true to his word, Orrison stayed by the group and followed them quietly to the unit where the converter was stored.

Other than the formal greetings they'd exchanged upon seeing one another, the group had been silent, the only sound between them being their footsteps as they walked along the snowy paths. Lloyd was the first to say anything, clearing his throat awkwardly as he spoke up.

"Hey, uh, Orrison?"

He stopped and glanced over. "What's up, Lloyd?"

"I, uh, wanted to apologize to you." Lloyd saw Zelos shoot him a glare as he said this, but he didn't back down.

"Apologize for what?"

"For the other day. I was rude to you." Lloyd shook his head. "You were trying to tell your side of the story, and I didn't let you. I yelled at you without hearing your perspective, and I'm sorry for that."

"That's alright," Orrison responded, stepping closer. "I hurt someone close to you. Of course you'd be angry with me. I'm just glad everything has worked out in the end."

Lloyd didn't respond to that. He wasn't going to make assumptions so soon.

The four made it to the unit easily, and Orrison moved forward to unlock it. A burst of warm air wafted out, berating the faces of those waiting outside and melting the snow around the doorframe into a puddle. Lloyd, Colette, and Zelos splashed inside, holding their breaths as they did so. The air inside was stifling, like a sauna, but that wasn't what they were most concerned about. In the center of the room was the converter.

It was a large, copper pyramid, at least a meter in height and filled on the exterior with jewels. _Exspheres_. Lloyd was most interested in how they were attached to the sides, walking around the object several times to get a better idea of how it all fit together. Aside from the grooves cut in two of the sides- most likely for handling- the exspheres dotted the surface in no particular pattern or arrangement. There did seem to be a subtance holding them onto the copper faces, but it didn't look like any glue or putty Lloyd had ever encountered. Each one matched the individual exsphere in color and luster, as if it were part of the exsphere itself.

For some reason, it reminded Lloyd of the way bakers at the cafe would place chocolate appliques onto some of their confectionaries, swiping the back of the chocolate over a hot surface and then pressing it on, the melted chocolate adhering wherever it was placed. The exspheres looked as if they'd been _melted onto_ to surface of the converter. The very thought sent chills down Lloyd's spine.

"I'm so glad it didn't overheat or anything," Orrison began, retrieving the green exsphere from his pocket and carefully placing it onto the side of the converter. "It looks to be in perfect condition, but I need to check just a few things..."

Colette cleared her throat. "Okay, you have your converter. Now give Zelos his body back-"

"In a minute! Don't be so pushy!" Orrison was so involved in checking over the converter, he ignored her. "This looks good... so does that... everything seems to be-"

" _Not in a minute. Now._ "

Lloyd had never heard Colette's voice so forceful. Even Zelos took a step away from her in surprise. Orrison's head jerked around and he scrambled to his feet.

"S-sorry," he began. "The process of switching back shouldn't take long at all. The suspension of our souls to different bodies is being supported by my exsphere, so I'll just have to put it back on him, and we can easily swap back." Orrison walked around to the side of the converter where he'd placed the green stone just moments earlier. "I'll just grab this and-"

He stopped. The group froze, watching as Orrison's expression changed.

The exsphere wasn't coming off.

"...it, uh, just takes a little extra tug..." Orrison began, pulling at the exsphere from several different angles. Unfortunately, no matter how he tried, it wasn't budging. He removed his gloves and began to dig at it with his fingernails, but the appearance of a sudden spark caused him to yelp and jump back.

"What are you doing?!" Zelos scolded. "You can't be so rough- that thing is dangerous!"

"B-but the exsphere..." Orrison stammered. "I forgot, I need it to switch back."

"Well, don't just pull it off like that. You have to be careful." Zelos stepped in beside him to examine the exsphere. He traced the edges of it with his finger, and then motioned to the others. "Lloyd, Colette, come look at this."

Tossing each other a wary glance, Colette and Lloyd pressed in. Lloyd noticed right away the way the exsphere seemed to have melted onto the surface of the converter.

"It's bonded to the metal somehow, but I don't understand what's causing it," Zelos spoke again.

Lloyd gasped. "The metal is extracting mana from the exspheres. That's why they're stuck. Without a key crest, they'll bond with any conductive surface- like human skin. If we pull one off, then the mana will go out of control."

"B-but," Colette protested, "I thought this thing _was_ like a giant key crest. Now you're saying it _needs_ a key crest?"

"If we want to get the exsphere off of there safely, then yes. " Lloyd nodded, taking a step back. "Otherwise it'll set off a chain reaction with the other exspheres and..."

Zelos grimaced, imagining what could happen if such a large collection of exspheres were to be sent out of control. "...we'll be fried."

There was a tense silence. Orrison was the first to move, running up to the converter and placing his hands on it. "So what do we do? How do we get the exsphere off so we can switch back?"

Lloyd's eyes met Colette's and Zelos'. He felt his stomach churn as he saw the looks on their faces, mirroring his own. They were all thinking the same thing, having realized the position that they were in. Someone had to say it.

"...we _don't_..." Colette murmured.

"...so we _can't_ ," Zelos finished.

Despite the warmth that the converter spread throughout the room, it suddenly felt as though the atmosphere had frozen. A paleness spread over Orrison's face as he looked at the others and then back at the converter. For a few moments, not one of them moved. They were all waiting, trying to gauge what the others were going to do. But staying still was difficult, and Colette lost her balance, having to shift her weight to her other foot. The movement, though brief, was all Orrison needed.

He grabbed the converter and ran.

Lloyd turned on his heels and scrambled after Orrison, drawing his swords. He didn't know whether Colette and Zelos were following him, but that didn't matter. All that mattered was stopping Orrison from getting away.

As Orrison ran, however, he found himself confronted from both sides by a pair that he barely recognized. They were... Lloyd's friends from the other night, right? He tried to change direction, but it was difficult along the tight path lined by stone buildings, and he just ended up face to face with Lloyd again.

"Th-this is an ambush!" he gasped. "I'm only one person! That's not fair!"

"How is it not fair?" Sheena yelled back. "If you want to destroy the world, you have to be prepared to defeat those who want to save it. _That's_ fair!"

Orrison desperately turned around, but Colette was there behind him, her hands clasped together. " _Please_ , Orrison! You have to trust us. There is good in the world if you're willing to see it-"

"...no, no, no, _no, no, NO!_ " Orrison's protests exploded into a frenzy of magical energy, his orange wings appearing behind him as he gripped the converter. Despite the wind, he took off as best he could, flying toward the mountain just to their north.

Lloyd immediately jumped into action, jumping onto an awning on the nearby building and up onto the roof to chase Orrison. He managed to catch hold of Orrison's boot, leaving him flailing awkwardly in the sky. It was hard enough for him, trying to maneuver in the wind and carry the converter, so the added distraction threw off his flight path. He whipped around, kicking Lloyd in the chest as he did so. Lloyd heard his friends' voices yelling out as he teetered over the edge of the roof, but a sharp pain exploded in his temple before he could make sense of the situation, sending him into momentary darkness.

As he came to consciousness, he was aware of a hand on his forehead, pressing a cloth to his temple, where the pain had been replaced by the tingling sensation that usual followed a magical healing spell.

"Don't move. There's still some blood on your forehead." It was Hazel's voice. Lloyd glanced up, watching her as she worked.

"Orrison-"

" _Lloyd!_ Are you okay?" The sound of Sheena's voice cut off his train of thought. She knelt down beside him, helping him sit up after receiving a nod from Hazel. "Orrison took off up the mountain. I think Zelos and Colette still don't want to hurt him, but our options are getting slim. We know he can't connect the converter to the comet's power under all this cloud cover, but if he gets above the clouds, then..."

"We can't let that happen." Lloyd took her arm and stood up, glancing around at his teammates. Genis had climbed up to the roof to get a better view, but even he was having trouble seeing Orrison anymore, and Colette was yelling at him to come down.

"Genis, don't put yourself in danger! I'll fly after him-"

"And confront him by yourself, in this weather? Not a chance!" Genis shot back. "Zelos, we need to find a faster way up the mountain! You know the ski slopes around here pretty well, don't you? Where's the nearest lift?"

"Don't be stupid," Zelos replied, clambering up onto the awning to get closer to Genis. "A ski lift isn't fast enough, and even if it was, the set track would make it easier for him to avoid us. That would never work-"

"Well, what _else_ do you suggest?"

"I'm thinking it over, if you'd just-"

Before Zelos could finish his sentence, the wind around them intensified, and a loud, mechanical buzzing noise filled the air. Genis jumped down off the roof just in time to get out of the way- with such small areas between the buildings, the roof was the only place open and flat enough to land a large craft. The rheiard came to an abrupt stop, sending snow careening off the side. Its rider hopped out and waved, a self-satisfied grin on his face.

" _Anybody need a ride?_ "

"YUAN!"

Zelos and Genis took advantage of the snow that had been cleared, clambering up onto the roof beside the rheiard. "Where the hell have you been?!" Zelos demanded. "We could've used your help, like, five minutes ago!"

Yuan jerked a thumb at the rheiard. "I thought you could use this. Do you not want it?"

Sheena helped Lloyd up onto the awning, motioning for Hazel and Colette to follow them. "We want it, we want it!"

"With this, we can follow him up the mountain and catch him before he gets above the clouds." Genis had already taken a seat in the pilot's chair, testing out the controls. "If we split up, one group of us can distract him while another group takes the converter somewhere safe to disarm it."

Zelos crossed his arms with a _hmph_ sound _._ "Ah, live bait. My favorite type of plan."

"I can-" Yuan raised his hand, but Sheena cut him off.

"Zelos, Lloyd, you two probably know the most about that converter. Colette, Genis, Hazel, and I will watch your backs while you get it as far away from Orrison as possible."

"And do _what_ with it?" Zelos demanded.

"Disarm it."

"How?"

"I-I don't know! You're the one who knows stuff about exspheres!" Frustrated, Sheena shoved Zelos onto the side wing of the rheiard and dragged Lloyd to sit with her. "There's no time! Let's just figure it out as we go."

Yuan raised his hand again. "I-"

"Yuan! Go back to the resort and warn everyone about the converter," Lloyd instructed. "Tell Kratos to get all the guests to safety! If something happens and that thing melts down, people should be on the lowest floor possible, away from windows."

"O-okay, but-"

Yuan couldn't say anything more. The rheiard took off, lifting up into the air and disappearing in the direction of the mountain. He closed his eyes and sighed in disappointment.

"No _thank-you-Yuan_? No _we-appreciate-the-help-Yuan_? Not even a _we-couldn't-have-done-it-without-you-Yuan?_ I swear, kids these days..."

* * *

Flying in the wind was hard enough without the extra weight against his shoulders. With the converter clutched in his arms, Orrison was thrown off-balance and couldn't fly in a straight line. He had to find a place to land and regain his bearings.

He found a relatively flat outcrop on the mountain, where the trail snaked around a cliff face and skirted along the edges of an alpine glacier. Setting the converter against the snow, he landed and leaned against it, pausing so that his head could stop spinning. It was strange- this body was showing more wear than he'd anticipated. He was tired and cold, his stomach ached, and he was light-headed. _Wasn't this body supposed to be an angel?_ The way he was feeling, he'd be lucky to get off the ground again!

But he couldn't give up. Not when he was so close. The clouds were hanging so low around the mountain that one last stretch would-

His train of thought cut off abruptly as the wind around him intensified. He grabbed hold of the scarf he was wearing to keep it from flying away, but a sudden metallic buzzing noise caused him to cover his ears instead. He glanced around, frantically trying to find the source, but the wind was kicking up snow from the ground and everything was blurry. There were the sounds of voices around him, and suddenly he felt a strike from behind against his shoulder. The blow hit a spot that caused his arms to go limp, and he found himself falling backwards, held tightly by someone he didn't recognize.

"LLOYD! ZELOS!" she yelled, almost directly into Orrison's ear. Ah! This was the fighting-to-save-the-world girl from before. "Get the converter out of here! We'll take care of Orrison!"

Orrison tried to protest, but no sound was coming out of his mouth, and his body still felt oddly static. He was slowly regaining feeling in his limbs, and began kicking as hard as he could. In response, Sheena twisted his arms around to keep him a safe distance from her, but that only gave him more leverage and he finally broke free. The converter was gone, nowhere to be seen, and when he tried to run off down the path, he was stopped by Colette.

"Please, Orrison," she gasped, standing across the path and holding her hands out. "We're here for you."

"NO!"

"We don't want to fight you. Please, calm down and we can talk it over-"

"No,no, NO!" Orrison's voice echoed off the rock walls around them as he yelled. "I won't accept this! I can't accept this! I'm going to destroy this world no matter _what_!"

He could feel the mana in his body pounding in reaction to his emotions. The cruxis crystal hummed with power, and the air around him seemed to buzz with static electricity. Surely there were spells to control the crystal's power, but Orrison didn't know any. All he knew was that he could swing magic around, and if he did that enough, then he might get what he wanted.

There was nothing else he could do. It was now or never, and he was desperate.

* * *

((RIP my hard drive with all my files on it. RIP my fingers, re-typing this chapter by memory at the last minute. Don't be like me, kids. Always externally back-up your files.))


	28. Chapter 28

As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 82:  
** _Ge milis am fìon, tha e searbh ri dhìol._  
The wine may be sweet, but the paying is bitter.

 **28-**

Kratos practically pounced on Yuan as soon as he returned to the resort.

" _Where_ were _you?! How could you run off like that without telling anyone?! Do you realize the nature of the situation we have on our hands? I can't believe you-_ "

"That's exactly what Lloyd and his friends said." Yuan groaned, rolling his eyes. "I left a note. Didn't anybody read it?"

"A note?" Kratos glanced over at Anna, who shrugged and looked over at Seles in turn. Seles shook her head, so all the attention turned back to Yuan.

"I swear I wrote a note! I gave it to Noishe!" Yuan pointed over at the dog, who was curled up underneath the chair at Anna's feet. "Noishe, what did you do with my note?"

Noishe whined, trying to scoot farther under the chair. He barely fit already, so he had to lift two of the chair's legs off the floor, driving Anna to her feet.

"Forget the note! You said Lloyd and his friends are in danger, right? We've got to do something!" She hurriedly grabbed her coat from the back of the couch where Kratos was sitting and began pulling her gloves onto her hands.

"Anna," Kratos reached out for her, "calm down. I want get out there and help too, but we can't do anything blindly. This is a delicate situation, and the environment up there on the mountain makes it even more difficult. Why don't we try-"

" _Stop, stop, stop."_

Yuan stepped in between Kratos and Anna- a precarious place to be, for sure, but he felt like he had no choice at this point. Kratos frowned in response, taking a step closer as if to challenge Yuan. "What exactly should we stop?"

"You should stop trying to interfere with things that are already in motion and focus on how you can make the _best_ use of your time and effort." Yuan tossed a glance toward the window. "Believe me, I'd like nothing more than to be on that mountain with the kids too. But they made it _quite clear_ that I was unwelcome. Lloyd trusted me, instead, to get back here and enlist your help in protecting the people here in the valley. He said, _tell Kratos to have the resort guests take shelter_. Do you want to respect his instructions or not?"

There was a tense pause. Kratos took a step back.

"We can't just stay back when negotiations derailed like that. We have to do something."

"This _is_ doing something. Lloyd said-"

Kratos didn't let him finish. "To hell with what Lloyd said!"

"Y-you-" Yuan began a retort, but he didn't manage it before he was pushed out of the way. Anna wasn't letting anything stand between her and Kratos at that moment.

 _SLAP!_

The back of Anna's hand met Kratos' cheek with a smack that could be heard around the whole lobby. Several guests who had been oblivious to the conversation going on suddenly turned around and looked. Kratos' hand flew to his cheek, his eyes wide in surprise more than anything else.

"How could you _say_ that?! Our son is out there risking his life for everybody here! Do you trust him so little that you'd ignore him to do what you want? I'm worried about Lloyd too, but he knows more about the current situation than we do. If he says get people to shelter, then we need to _get people to shelter, dammit_!"

"...Anna..." Kratos was lost for words. He heard the mumbling of people around as they picked up on the key points of the conversation. Things about people risking their lives and taking shelter weren't something they were accustomed to hearing. He sighed and whispered to Anna before turning around to address the crowd. "... _I'm sorry. You're right._ "

As Kratos and Yuan tried to keep the guests from starting a misinformed panic, Seles and Noishe approached Anna.

"I was waiting for you to slap one of them," Seles began. "I'm just sorry it wasn't Yuan."

Anna didn't answer. Seles glanced over and saw the worry in her eyes.

"Miss Anna? I'm... scared. Yuan said that my brother wasn't able to get his body back, and that he might have missed his chance now. I don't know what's going to happen. I wish I could be as brave as you are."

Anna reached out, placing one hand on Seles' head.

"I'm not brave, I'm _terrified_ ," she answered. "But Lloyd and Zelos and everybody else are out there doing their best. We have to do our best too."

* * *

Once Orrison began to struggle, Sheena let go of him, jumping backwards to regroup. Her initial expectation was that they'd have to mount an impressive defense if they wanted to stay safe, but... that wasn't the case at all.

Orrison didn't have the slightest idea what he was doing.

As soon as he was free, he tried to fly away from the group. Unfortunately, the wind was battering him from several directions, and he found himself struggling to stay upright. In a panic, he began firing spells into the air, not proper magical spells but simply bursts of mana with no set trajectory. The group watched in horror as he fluttered through the air, his orange wings giving him the appearance of a butterfly being jolted back and forth by a storm.

They had to do something, or this wasn't going to end well for him.

"If he keeps getting pushed around like that, he'd going to end up hitting the mountain," Colette observed, running to the front of the group, her wings appearing behind her. "We have to go calm him down-"

"And how exactly do we do that?" Genis interrupted. "With all that mana he's shooting, it'd be dangerous to get anywhere near him. The idiot... he's just a danger to himself at this point. We might as well leave him be."

Colette wasn't convinced. "And give up Zelos' chance at getting his body back?"

Genis stiffened. "W-well... what do you suggest we do, then? Colette? Sheena? Any bright ideas?"

The two girls looked at one another and then back at Genis. They were searching for something to say, but nothing was coming to mind. Sheena finally opened her mouth to speak, but she was too late- the sound of a voice from nearby cut her off.

" _Air Thrust!_ "

Hazel stood in front of the group, her hand outstretched as she cast the spell in Orrison's direction. He immediately stopped firing mana as he was hit by the blast of air, sending him flying in a different direction. He yelled, flailing his arms and screaming for help. Sheena ran up to Hazel and grabbed her shoulder. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm just trying to get him in a spot that will be easy to-"

But she couldn't get any farther. Her sudden lack of control over the spell sent him flying head-first into the nearby cliff face. Colette screamed as she watched him fall unconscious, his wings disappearing and his body dropping toward the gaping crevasse below...

" _Gentle winds, gather before me and transform into blades of air! Cyclone!"_

Genis' spell was able to support Orrison, even at that range, but he couldn't keep him hanging in the air for long. "I don't have enough control over the spell at this range to move him somewhere else. He's eventually going to fall," he murmured through clenched teeth.

"I'll catch him!" Colette offered.

"You'll never make it there in time. _Cyclone_ was designed for quick combat, not long-term support. I can manage it for maybe another thirty seconds, tops." Genis' hand twitched as his spell began to falter. "We have to make someplace for him to land."

Hazel wrung her hands nervously. "But that crevasse... we can't just close it up-"

"The crevasse!" Sheena gasped. "That's it! _We_ can't close it up, but I know someone who _can!_ "

Genis nodded at her in agreement, as if to support her decision without taking his attention off his spell. Colette grabbed Hazel's arm and pulled her backwards to give Sheena some extra room. Hazel didn't know what was going on, but she didn't have to wait long to find out.

" _I call upon the servant of Mother Earth! I summon thee, GNOME!"_ A burst of light came forth from Sheena's talisman as the looming figure of the summon spirit appeared before them. "Gnome _,_ " Sheena called, wasting no time, "close up the crevasse so that Orrison has a safe place to land!"

Colette and Hazel dropped to the ground, trying to keep their balance as the mountain shook beneath them. Gnome's high-pitched voice seemed to echo from the very rock itself as the mountain twisted to close the icy gap.

" _Gee, Sheena, you're not one for pleasantries, are you? Not even a 'hi-how's-it-going?' Unbelievable. Ah, well- it looks like you have your own problems to worry about in the meantime. Don't hesitate to call me if you need anything else, gotcha?"_

Gnome's speech was underwhelming, but his power was inarguably effective. By the time Orrison's unconscious form landed, there was nothing but a flat layer of snow and ice to break his fall. Colette stood up and began running toward where he lay, not daring to take her eyes off the mass of red hair that outlined his position amidst the white backdrop. She tripped more than once, thrown off by the still-shaking ground, but it didn't deter her.

"Thank you, Gnome," Sheena spoke before running after Colette. She could hear the churning noises of rockfalls elsewhere on the mountain, and could only hope that Lloyd and Zelos were alright. But she knew it was pointless to waste time worrying. If anyone knew what they were doing, it was those two.

* * *

The trail that led around the mountainside was thin, barely enough to accomodate one hiker, and had a steep drop-off onto a glacial valley below. Neither Lloyd nor Zelos wanted to know what it was like to fall from a height like that, so they stuck as close to the mountainside as they could. The most difficult part of it all was keeping the heavy-but-fragile converter from scraping against the stone. One wrong move, and they could set it off.

"L-Lloyd... let's put this down for a second. I don't think this is working..."

Zelos was having more trouble than Lloyd was. After all, Orrison's frail body hadn't been trained for any sort of weight lifting, and the altitude only made it more difficult for him to keep up with Lloyd's brute strength. Lloyd glanced up the path a bit, noting a place along the mountainside where an alcove was cut into the rock as a space for hikers going in one direction to pass others going the opposite way. "Let's go down just a bit further. We can get out of the wind and regroup. Can you make it that far?"

"I can if you shut up and move."

The two shuffled further down the path until Lloyd made it to the alcove and ducked in. It wasn't much cover, but it was enough that the two of them could fit along the path at the same time and work together to look at the converter. Lloyd set his end down as gently as possible; Zelos' side didn't come down as easily, but luckily there wasn't any damage that resulted. Lloyd knelt down beside it, examining the exspheres on the surface.

"This is so frustrating... we can't just keep running with it. We've got to disarm it somehow."

Zelos pressed into the alcove beside him, looking over the machine with a critical eye. "I wish I knew an easy way to do that... we could always open it up and try to disrupt the extraction mechanism, but that would be _crazy-risky_. I don't think I'd trust myself trying to figure something like that out without instructions. Still, as long as the extraction process is taking place, we can't remove or destroy any of the exspheres without causing a reaction from the others."

Lloyd ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "Ugh. What's left to do, then?"

"You're the expert on exspheres. You tell me."

"Excuse me? _You're_ the smart one, remember?!"

"Don't try to pin this on me, bud! I haven't got a clue!" Zelos' fist flew towards the side of the alcove, hitting against the rock with a dull thud. A few pieces of ice dropped onto them from above, and Lloyd covered his head. Seeing it, Zelos flinched and pulled his hand in next to his chest. "Sorry. I know I should be more careful."

"N-no, I don't think it was you." Lloyd shook his head, glancing up as more shards of ice fell onto them from above. "It feels like... the mountain is shaking..."

"An earthquake? Oh, _hell_ no." Zelos stepped out from under the cover of the alcove, staring up at the mountain face that loomed over them. He didn't seem sure of what he was looking at initially, but he took a step back and Lloyd watched his face go pale. He scrambled back over and picked up his end of the converter. "Grab your end, Lloyd. We've got to get out of here _now._ "

"What?" Lloyd took a step back, looking up at the mountain above them. Despite how monolithic the mountainside had looked from their position on the path, there were various outcrops of rock along the side that hung precariously over the precipice. With the way the mountain was shaking, however, pieces of rock were beginning to cleave from the mountainside, raining down onto the glacier below. One particularly large piece of the mountain was beginning to slide down the slope, and if Lloyd and Zelos remained where they were... it wouldn't be pretty. If they were lucky, they'd simply be knocked off the side of the cliff. If not, they'd be crushed.

 _Wait a minute... that's it!_

"Lloyd, what are you doing? Come on!" Zelos was trying to drag the converter on his own, but he wasn't having much success. "We need to-"

"Wait, Zelos. I have an idea."

The statement gave Zelos pause, but only briefly. He didn't let go of the converter. "Good for you. But can you maybe have your idea somewhere _else_?"

"N-no! Hear me out!" Lloyd waved his hands. "We can't destroy anything on the converter for fear of the remaining exspheres reacting, right? But what if they were all destroyed at the same time? What if we shattered all the exspheres together, rendering the machine unable to function?"

Zelos caught onto what Lloyd was saying immediately. He looked back and forth between Lloyd and the rocks above them, his face growing even paler in disbelief. "No. No way. That's too risky-"

"How is it too risky? It's the safest idea we've had!" Lloyd protested. "If we don't take advantage of this, then what's left-?"

"I didn't mean risky in terms of the converter melting down. I meant risky in terms of _us_ ," Zelos interrupted, gesturing to the cliff face beside them. "We'd have to make sure that the avalanche hit the converter at exactly the right spot. With the uneven ground shaking like it is, that means holding the converter in place. If we don't get out of the way in time, we'll get crushed with it."

It didn't take long for Lloyd to think it over. A glance down at the valley where the lights of the resort could just barely be seen- where Kratos and Anna were waiting for him- assured him of what he wanted to do.

"I'll take that wager," he replied with a nod. "Let's get this thing in position."

Zelos cursed under his breath. "...I promised Mom..." he began, but Lloyd couldn't hear the rest of what he was saying. He began to ask, but Zelos jumped into action, cutting Lloyd off before he could speak. "Alright then, you big-damn-hero! Grab your end of the converter and move it with me. We want it just in front of that alcove there. If we don't get out of the way in time, we're screwed, but if we don't get the converter in the right place, _everybody's_ screwed. So let's get our priorities straight. You'd better hold on tight, got it?"

Lloyd pressed his hands into the handle on the converter's side and waited for further instructions.

The two shuffled toward the alcove as best they could, carefully positioning the converter and shielding it from smaller debris that was falling off the mountain on top of them. Zelos was the one looking up and estimating the right spot while Lloyd followed his directions. A loud crack above them caused them both to jump, and Lloyd's attention shot up the mountain.

"Uh, Zelos...? Should we-?"

"Not yet!" Zelos shot back. "Hold on tight, and then on my signal, get as far away as possible."

"Without jumping off the cliff, right?"

" _You'd better not-_ "

One last crack rang out across the valley as the loose piece of rock finally gave way. Zelos jumped back from the converter with a yell and scrambled along the path.

"LLOYD! NOW!"

Lloyd turned to run down the path away from where shards of larger rocks were beginning to rain down, but he stopped abruptly as he tried to pull his left hand out of the groove in the converter. Something had stuck the back of his hand onto the copper surface and he couldn't get it off. He tugged frantically, a chill washing over him as he realized what was holding him in place.

 _His exsphere was stuck._

"Lloyd! What are you doing?!" Zelos was already a short distance away when he noticed Lloyd's difficulties, and had to spin around on his heels to keep from falling off the side of the narrow path. "Come _on-_ "

"I'm stuck!" Lloyd yelled back.

"What do you mean, you're stuck?"

"It's my- _Mom's_ \- exsphere!"

Zelos was by Lloyd's side in a split second, trying to examine the situation. He tried to pull the exsphere off, but it didn't come easily, and he found himself tracing around the sides of it. It confirmed his fear, and he looked up at Lloyd with a grave expression. "It's molded onto the surface. You have to leave it."

Lloyd choked. "...leave it? I can't!"

"You _have to!_ " Zelos' voice was hard to hear over the scraping of rocks overhead. "We don't have ti-"

"NO!" Lloyd shoved his shoulder against Zelos, trying to push him away. "That exsphere is the thing that's keeping Mom alive! I can't just leave it!"

"But if you don't-"

"I CAN'T!"

"L-Lloyd..." Zelos began. He tossed a glance up above them and gasped, grabbing hold of the converter again. " _Listen to me, Lloyd!_ You don't want to leave it? Fine! But I'll need you to do exactly what I tell you! Pull as hard as you can on your glove until I tell you to stop, then let go."

"Let go? But I-"

"JUST TRUST ME!"

Everything happened too fast for Lloyd to protest. He followed Zelos' instructions, but he was stuck in a haze of panic and barely realized what was going on until he'd been shoved backwards into the safety of the alcove. His exsphere slipped off of his hand along with his glove, disappearing with the converter in a crash of light and sound. The last thing Lloyd saw before his vision was obscured was the satisfied smile on Zelos' face as he fell backwards, toppling over the edge of the cliff and disappearing.

" _ZELOS_ -"

Lloyd couldn't even get the word out before the world around him burst forth with a myriad of colors and sounds, and then went suddenly quiet.


	29. Chapter 29

As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 36  
** _Seachnaidh duin' a bhràthair, ach cha sheachain e choimh-earsnach.  
_ A man may live without a brother, but not without a friend.

 **29-**

" _ZELOS_ -"

Lloyd couldn't even get the word out before the world around him burst forth with a myriad of colors and sounds. Voices pierced through the air, all sounding simultaneously, yet each one clearly distinguishable from each other. They held a variety of tones, each one in itself holding a different person's perspective as though capturing a snapshot in time.

" _No, please don't-"_ "Wait a minute! You can't just-" " _Mommy, don't let them-"_ "You planned this all along, didn't y-" " _I'm begging you, don't-"_ "It can't end like thi-"

None of the voices were able to finish their sentences, the silence from each one shooting a pang of grief into Lloyd's heart as they passed. They must be the voices of the exspheres- the last words that each soul never got to fully express. Hundreds of these voices exploded in his head all at once, their roar nearly deafening him.

" _Kratos, don't let them hurt Llo-_ "

Though one voice stood out to Lloyd the most, it was gone in a split second just like all the others. The color and sound were gone in an instant, and Lloyd was left alone and disoriented in the tiny alcove on the side of the mountain. He'd reached out into the air at the sound of his mother's voice, trying to catch what might be left of it in his bare hand, but nothing remained.

"M-Mom..." he stammered to himself, finally finding his voice. "Mom! Zelos! _Zelos!_ "

Remembering the situation, Lloyd scrambled to his feet and over the rock debris toward the side of the path where he'd last seen Zelos. It was slow going; the surface of the rocks were uneven and his ungloved hand was scratched and bleeding in places by the time he reached the edge, but he didn't care. He couldn't care.

"ZELOS!" Lloyd yelled over the side of the cliff once he reached the edge. In one of Zelos and Seles' adventure novels, the savior would have somehow found a ledge or rock to hold onto, waiting patiently for a tearful reunion. But nothing was that convenient. Lloyd saw nothing but sheer rock and ice fading into the haze of the glacier below.

Frustrated and alone, he pounded his fist against the ground, unable to suppress a sob.

"...Zelos, Mom... I'm _so sorry_..."

* * *

Colette reached Orrison first. However, just as she did so, there was a flash of light and sound from nearby, and she instinctively ducked to cover her head. For a split second, she was deafened by colors and blinded by voices- _no, scratch that! Reverse it!_ \- but it passed just as quickly as it had come on. Confused and still wary, she lifted her head again to look around.

Sheena stepped in by her side, kneeling down beside Colette. "What was that?" she gasped. "That wasn't the converter, was it?"

"I don't know." Colette shook her head. "We're still alive, so I don't think-"

" _Colette! Sheena!_ " Genis waved from his spot a short distance away. "We need to find Lloyd and Zelos! Something strange is going on!"

"Yeah, we noticed," Sheena stood up and motioned to Colette, who pulled Zelos' arm over her shoulder and dragged him alongside them.

It was slow going, but the group managed to make it down to the trail and around the corner where they'd last seen Lloyd and Zelos. As they did, they became aware of a noise nearby, frighteningly familiar enough to send chills down their spines.

It was... the sound of someone crying.

"Lloyd? _Lloyd!_ " Colette shoved Zelos' body toward Genis, who almost toppled over at the added weight. She didn't care, though, focusing only on the sight in front of her. Amongst the debris from the rockslide, she could see Lloyd kneeling by the cliffside, clutching at the ground with his face downturned. There was no sign of Zelos or the converter anywhere. Lloyd was alone.

Upon hearing her voice, Lloyd pulled his head up to look. Colette caught up with him and fell to her knees beside him, berating him with questions.

"What's wrong? What happened? Where's Zelos?"

Lloyd sniffled and pointed tentatively down to the glacier below. "He's... down there," was all he managed to choke out.

Colette's hand flew over her mouth, her face turning white. " _No_. No, no- that's not... i-it can't..."

Sheena had reached where the two were sitting, dropping to examine the injuries on Lloyd's left hand. "S-start from the beginning! Tell us exactly what happened. Where is the converter? And your exsphere?"

Lloyd brought his right hand up to his face, wiping off his cheeks in an attempt to regain his composure. "Th-there was an earthquake... " he began, slowly and painfully pouring out the whole story between choked tears. His voice became more sure as he continued, and by the time he recounted up to the present, he was no longer crying. "...and then... you guys showed up..."

"L-let's not panic just yet!" Once Sheena was sure that he had finished, she began trying to reassure him. "Maybe Zelos is still alive down there! It snowed a lot, right? There was probably soft powder on top of the glacier to break his fall!"

The suggestion broke through Colette's stricken silence. "Th-th-that's right! Yeah! We won't know until we go down there and check-"

"The odds are really slim, you guys." Genis had been comforting Hazel, who'd broken down, her words dissolved into unintelligible sobs. "Even if he fell into deep, unpacked snow and managed to survive, his injuries would be too bad. We don't have to ability to heal him here, and moving him without hurting him further might be impossible."

Colette shook her head. "Even so, we have to try. We have to-"

A low groan from Zelos' body cut off her statement, drawing everyone's attention. Sheena flinched, a hand flying to where she kept her talismans. Genis moved to sit beside him, holding out a hand. "Don't move," he instructed, waiting for a response before speaking further.

"...what…?" A pair of blue eyes fluttered open beneath a mass of red curls. "...did you…?"

"The converter's gone. It's over. Stop fighting." Genis murmured softly. "Are you okay?"

"N-no…" It was more of a groan than anything else. "What the _hell_ did you do? I told you to distract Orrison, not give him a damn _concussion_. Owww..."

The group fell quiet. Lloyd was the first one to find his voice.

"... _Zelos?_ "

Zelos forced a smile through gritted teeth. "What's up, bud? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"ZELOS!"

Colette and Sheena pounced on him first, throwing their arms around his neck and chest. Even Genis joined in the hug, prompting a laugh from Zelos as he extended his arm to welcome Genis into the group. Colette leaned in to press a kiss to Zelos' cheek, and his smile widened.

"Gee, if this is the kinda reaction I get, I should have near-death experiences more often."

No one could scold him. Lloyd choked back a sob and threw himself at Zelos, kissing his other cheek.

"OH, ZELOS~"

"Eugh, Lloyd," Zelos groaned, shying away, "don't ever do that again."

There was some laughter from Sheena and Genis, and the group separated so that they could see each other. Zelos sat up straighter, cradling his head in one hand.

"Listen, uh, Lloyd," he began, "I'm _really_ sorry about your exsphere. I didn't want to abandon Mom either, but there was no time, and I'd promised her that I wouldn't let you sacrifice yourself…"

"So you sacrificed _yourself_ instead?" Lloyd gasped. "Zelos-"

"Hey, it was only a half-sacrifice." Zelos waved a hand to cut him off. "I was ninety-nine percent sure that, when Orrison's exsphere shattered, our souls would be sent back to our original bodies. ...I mean, not that I wanted to send Orrison careening off a cliff, but…" He stopped, wincing and placing his hand on his head again. Hazel stepped in, working some of her healing magic, seemingly recovered from her earlier shock.

"It's possible that he's still alive," Colette began, rising to her feet. "Let's get the rheiard and go down to look for him!"

"I'll start it up," Genis yelled, running on up the trail. He was followed by Lloyd, who shot him a " _wait for me!"_ and scrambled up alongside him.

Hazel hung back with Zelos, helping him to his feet and walking alongside him to offer support. When he stumbled slightly, she jumped in and supported him. He sighed and allowed himself to lean against her.

"Thank you, Hazel. You've done a lot for me considering you're Seles' servant and not mine. You deserve a _big_ bonus when we get back to Meltokio, along with a long vacation-"

"I appreciate the sentiment, Master Zelos," Hazel interrupted, but… "I ask that you not send me on vacation."

"What? But you deserve-"

"No, Master Zelos, I…" She stopped and took a deep breath. "...as per my contract, I'm required to give you two weeks' notice of my resignation. I'm sorry, but I've decided I can't continue to work for the Wilder family at this point."

Zelos stopped, digging his feet into the snow. He didn't say anything, he just stared at her, a mix of emotions playing over his face. Finally, his head drooped and he gave an amused sigh.

"Hah. Yikes. Guess I should've expected this after all that's happened. It's going to be hell trying to replace you, but I can't say I blame you. That's your decision to make."

"I'm sorry, Master Zelos." Hazel shook her head. "This position requires me to maintain a level of professional relation with your family that… I simply can't. I hope you'll understand."

Zelos cracked a smile. "If that's your way of saying you hate my guts, then trust me, I understand."

"N-no! No! That's not it at all!" Hazel shook her head frantically. "On the contrary, I hold you in deep regard! And… well, I-"

" _Hey! Zelos! Hazel! Get over here before we leave you behind!"_

Genis' voice shot through the air, cutting them off. Zelos hurried on ahead, leaving Hazel to follow, calling after him.

* * *

Anna was watching from one of the resort's side balconies when the earthquakes began.

She'd insisted on staying to keep watch on things outside, and Kratos and Yuan had just joined her to check on the status of the atmosphere. There didn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary, but as soon as the ground began to tremble, Anna yelped and leapt into action.

"Lloyd! Everyone!"

Anna stumbled down the steps to the trail below them, as if to get closer to the mountain in any way possible. Kratos ran after her, calling her name, stopping her once she reached the trailhead at the edge of the resort area.

"Anna, where are you going? There's no point in running off."

"I know! I know!" Anna shook her head back and forth, grabbing onto the edge of his coat. "But I don't know what else to do. I feel so powerless being stuck here-"

"Don't you remember what you said before? About trusting Lloyd? Anna, please..."

Yuan watched the two of them from the balcony, keeping a hand on the scruff of Noishe's neck. He could hear a low growl coming from Noishe's throat, and because of that, was keeping his gaze on the mountain. The earthquake was still shaking the ground, but that was no longer the main concern. Yuan knew it was only a side effect of what else was going on at its source, and _that_ was what posed the greatest danger to everyone below.

"...Mister Yuan?"

A voice made him jump, and he twirled around to see Seles in the doorway. "What are you doing here?" he demanded. "It's dangerous! If your stupid brother knew we let you out and about like this, then he'd kill us."

"My _stupid brother_ is probably worried about much more important things right now," Seles shot back. "I want to know what's going on."

Yuan shrugged. "Well, sorry, but even _I_ don't know what's going on. We can't exactly get up there to-"

He didn't get any farther. Noishe began to bark, hopping to place his front paws on the balcony railing. His tail stood straight up and his ears were twitching in alert. Yuan tried to calm him, but Noishe wasn't paying him any mind. He was too focused on one particular spot on the mountain.

Yuan saw it before Seles did- a bright flash of light that burst off the side of the mountain. He yelped and grabbed her shoulder, pulling her down to duck under the cover of the balcony railing. There wasn't any time to call to Kratos and Anna, and Yuan could only hope they'd seen it and run for cover as well. Within a split second, the air was filled with colors and voices, passing by momentarily but leaving echoes in the minds of those in their wake.

Yuan and Seles opened their eyes, looking at one another as if to confirm that they were still alive. "Those voices..." Seles whispered, pressing closer to Noishe's chest. "What _was_ that?"

* * *

The rheiard flew low over the glacier, its riders scanning the ground below as they searched for any sign of Orrison. They found traces of the rockslide, and finally noticed a dark green color hidden amongst a snowbank. Lloyd hopped down from the rheiard before it landed- against Genis' recommendations, of course- rushing over to brush the snow off of Orrison's motionless form. The boy was lying on his side, his arm underneath him twisted the wrong way. Lloyd cringed. He was too scared to touch a hand to Orrison's skin, afraid he would find that it was too late to do anything.

Colette was the one to reach for Orrison's wrist first. Lloyd leaned in closer, holding his breath until he heard her speak.

"H-his heartbeat… it's so _faint_! He's barely breathing! What do we do?"

"S-so he _is_ alive?" Sheena asked, stumbling forward so that she could see as well. "Yikes, I don't like the look of his arm there… and his cheeks are turning blue…"

"Let Hazel look at him," Lloyd said, stepping back. "What do you think, Hazel? Do you think there's anything we can do?"

Hazel went to work examining Orrison's injuries. She didn't move him at first, simply observing the external damage to his ribcage and torso, but she eventually turned him over so that she could straighten his broken arm. Genis could hear the soft remarks she was making to herself, and looked up at the others with a grave shake of his head.

"I think he's too far gone."

Zelos wouldn't accept it. "Isn't there anything we can do?"  
"No, Master Zelos, there's nothing we can do with normal means…" Hazel shook her head. "...ut I do have this."

She pulled a necklace from inside her coat, holding the gemstone up. Zelos gasped as he caught sight of the glint off the stone. "That's Seles'-"

"Yes. She gave it to me for the specific purpose of healing _you_ should you need it, but if you give me explicit permission, I can-"

"Do it."

The group was silent for a while as they watched Hazel work. The pale blue of Orrison's cheeks began to warm once again back to their normal rosy color, his freckles appearing across the bridge of his nose and his lips pursing open slightly as his breathing became more regular. Once Hazel's spell died down, she began to fall over, and Genis caught her. "You okay?" he asked.

"Yes… casting this spell requires a lot of magical energy. I won't be able to cast anything for a while yet, but it should be safe to move him back to the resort for further treatment."

"Oh, _thank goodness!_ " Colette sighed in relief, collapsing against Lloyd's right shoulder. Sheena was sitting on the other side holding his bare hand to keep it warm, and she glanced over at the rheiard with a frown.

"How exactly are we going to do that? It was tough getting all of us on that thing to begin with, much less using it to transport someone who's so badly hurt. With the wind like it is, we'll have to make two trips if we want to get back safely."

"And leave someone here?" Lloyd gasped. "No way!"

"Well, you can't walk back from here. It would take hours."

"But-"

A sound cut them off. It was far away, but it sounded like… a familiar bark.

" _Noishe?_ " Lloyd gasped.

The barking echoed around the valley, intensifying until the source appeared, jumping over ledges down toward the glacier's surface. Lloyd stood up and yelled, waving his arms frantically.

"NOISHE! HEY, NOISHE- WE'RE OVER HERE!"

It took less than two seconds for Noishe to reach the ground, and when he did so he charged frantically at Lloyd, knocking him over and giving his face a thorough lick. Lloyd struggled to sit up, managing to distract Noishe by scratching that sweet spot behind his ear.

"What's Noishe doing here? How did he find us?" Sheena knelt down next to him, giving his other ear a scratch.

"I'm sure everyone at the resort knows what happened. Or, at least Kratos and Yuan…" Genis began, though he cut off as he saw Lloyd's face.

"Kratos…" Lloyd murmured. "...he must've sent you to come find us, right Noishe? _Poor Kratos_ …"

Zelos leaned down, placing a hand on Lloyd's shoulder and addressing Genis as he spoke. "Noishe can take some people back to the resort so that we'll have room on the rheiard for Orrison. That'll work, won't it?"

"To be perfectly honest, Noishe will probably be faster than the rheiard. He won't get battered as badly by the wind or slowed down by the extra weight."

Colette stood up, motioning back in the direction of the resort. "In that case, Lloyd and Zelos should go back with Noishe."

"Us?" Lloyd questioned, pointing between the two of them. "Why us?"

"Well, because… you're the ones who have people waiting for you. I'm sure Seles and Kratos are worried."

Lloyd and Zelos glanced at one another uneasily. "She has a point," Zelos murmured. "I hope Seles is okay."

Lloyd couldn't say anything. He just glanced down at his bare hand, clutching it into a fist. _Poor Kratos._

"Lloyd?"

By the time he looked up again, Zelos was standing beside him and offering a hand to help him up. Lloyd accepted, rising to his feet and waving back toward the rest of the group. "Will you be alright on your own?"

"We'll be fine," Sheena assured him. "You two go on ahead."

As Lloyd and Zelos hopped onto Noishe's back, Lloyd looked up to notice that the sky was beginning to clear. A few stars were peeking out from behind the clouds in places, shining despite everything that had happened. He sighed and buried his hands in Noishe's fur.

"Hold on tight," Lloyd instructed.

Zelos frowned, glancing around him. "Hold on? Hold on to _wha-_ "

His sentence was cut off with a yelp as Noishe jumped into action, bounding over the mountainsides and leaving the glacier far behind them.


	30. Chapter 30

As usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Dwarven Vow 71:  
** _Suirghe fada bhon taigh, 's pòsadh am bun an dorais._  
Go courting afar, but marry next door.

 **30-**

"Those voices..." Seles whispered, pressing closer to Noishe's chest. "What _was_ that?"

"Exspheres," Yuan replied breathlessly. "It was so many of them. Lloyd and the others must've found some way to detach them from the converter... but that would mean..." He paused and shook his head. It didn't make any sense-

" _LLOYD!"_

A scream from near the trailhead broke through the air, cutting through the stillness that had been left behind. Yuan rose to his feet and looked out, trying to find Kratos and Anna amongst the snow. He could hear Kratos' voice yelling back, as though he were trying to make sense of everything.

"Anna? _Anna_? What's wrong? What's- _hey!_ Anna!"

Kratos had his arms around Anna, keeping her still. She was yelling and sobbing, trying to pull away from his arms with little success. " _Lloyd!_ " she sobbed, reaching out in the direction of the mountain. " _No_ , _Lloyd, Zelos! Please, no-_ "

"Anna, Anna, stop it! What's wrong? What happened?" Kratos shook her shoulders, bending down so that he was at eye level with her. "Take a deep breath and speak slowly. What did you see?"

"...I...I didn't see anything..." Anna choked. "But I heard it... and felt it... Lloyd's exsphere... _shattered_..."

"What?"

Yuan picked up on the statement and hopped over the balcony railing, dropping down to the pathway below and approaching the two. "What's going on? What happened to the exspheres?"

"...I don't know.." Anna shook her head, frantically wiping her cheeks. "I couldn't hear clearly. There was this really loud buzzing noise... but Lloyd and Zelos were yelling about some sort of avalanche. They were in danger. And then Lloyd screamed and Zelos screamed, and the exsphere just... shattered..." She buried her face in Kratos' chest, crying openly again. " _Lloyd... my baby... please, no..."_

Kratos looked up, keeping his attention on Yuan for the moment as he wrapped his arms around Anna. "Yuan, did you feel that wave of mana? All those voices?"

"Yeah. It had to be the souls of the exspheres. But if they shattered, wouldn't that set off the converter?"

"Only if there were exspheres left untouched. Anna said something about an avalanche. If the entire converter and all its exspheres were destroyed at once, there wouldn't be any conversion to disrupt."

Yuan tapped Anna on the shoulder. "How do you know there was an avalanche? How did you know the exspheres shattered?"

"...I heard it..." Anna murmured.

"Heard it where? You've been _here_ the whole time. You're not saying you have memories from the exsphere, do you?"

"...um... that's..." She stopped and gasped, her eyes widening. "The exsphere! I remember! I remember _everything_!"

"Everything?" Kratos asked. "What's everything? Do you remember your past? You childhood in Luin?"

"Yes."

"The human ranch? How you escaped?"

"Y-yes..."

"The time that we traveled together? When we got married? When Lloyd was born and I was a nervous wreck?"

Anna sniffled, wiping another tear away. "Y-you were just mad that you lost the bet..."

"You _do_ remember," Kratos breathed. "Wait! But how? If the exsphere shattered, then you shouldn't be... I mean-" He stopped. "That's it. The exspheres. They shattered, and the souls trapped in the exspheres were released."

"Not only released," Yuan added, "but the energy released created a shock wave that would carry them outward from the center until the energy dissipated."

" _Or,_ " Kratos corrected, "until they found their other half."

Anna looked back and forth between Kratos and Yuan, trying to comprehend the situation. "So that means... I'm...?"

Yuan began to laugh, slapping a hand over his forehead. "I can't believe it! That Lloyd, he _really_ did it! Of all the crazy things to try, he managed to find the _one_ crazy thing that would work-"

"But what happened to Lloyd?!" Anna turned from Kratos, grabbing the front of Yuan's shirt instead. "He was in danger! If the exsphere shattered, doesn't that mean he..."

"Not necessarily," Kratos interrupted. "The exsphere isn't inseparable from him. The whole reason you're here is because he took it off to carry dishes, remember?"

"But... they were yelling... there was an avalanche... and Lloyd and Zelos..."

"Wh-what happened to my brother?" Seles had finally descended the steps to the path with Noishe by her side, listening to the conversation in fear. "Do you know where he is? Is he safe?"

Anna shook her head. "I'm sorry. I wish I knew. I don't know about Lloyd or Zelos or _anyone_. Zelos promised me that he wouldn't let Lloyd sacrifice himself. But if something happened to Lloyd and Zelos couldn't do anything, then I hate to imagine what might've become of them."

"Noishe," Kratos called, grabbing the dog's attention, "go find Lloyd. Make sure everyone's safe. Bring them back, if you can. _Please_."

Noishe responded with a nod of his head and a loud bark, bounding off down the path as fast as his legs could carry him. He left the group behind, standing alone in the snow, unable to do anything but wait.

Yuan turned and started back to the resort. There were a lot of people who were probably confused and needed to be told not to panic.

And it was probably best to leave Kratos, Anna, and Seles some time to themselves.

* * *

When Noishe returned to the resort, he landed in a snowbank near the front steps, throwing one of his riders off in the process. Zelos tumbled a short distance, landing head-first into a pile of snow that had been cleared away from the main entrance. He pulled himself out with a groan.

"Gee, _thanks,_ Noishe. Aren't animals supposed to be able to sense people's pain? What's the deal with chucking around an injured party here?"

Lloyd hopped off of Noishe, stepping off the porch to offer Zelos a hand up. Zelos rose to his feet, wiping snow off of his clothing, and began checking his hair now that he was in a well-lit area. He pulled off his gloves as well, running his hands through his hair to test its volume, and caught sight of his fingers with a gasp.

"Oh _no!_ Look at these broken nails! And _gods_ , were the tangled curls not punishment enough? I have split ends too? This is a _disaster_!" He began to storm up the steps, waving his hands as he ranted on. "I'm going to have to send Sebastian a message to clear my schedule for the next week. I need to see my manicurist, my hairstylist, my dermatologist-" Zelos stopped and placed a hand on his shoulder. "-and _definitely_ my chiropractor-"

He was about to walk in the resort's entrance, but he was met and stopped by someone going the opposite way, who blundered right into him and had to stop and look up to confirm it was really him.

" _Zelos_?"

Zelos' eyes lit up in delight. "Sis! You're okay!" He hoisted Seles up in his arms, trying to twirl her around, but he had forgotten about his injuries and almost toppled over. Seles yelped, and he awkwardly regained his balance to sit down on the top step with her. "S-sorry about that... ow, ow... I'm just so glad to see you. I was really worried."

" _You_ were worried?" Seles' eyes began to fill with tears. "How do you think _I_ felt? Don't ever scare me like that again, you idiot!"

She threw her arms around him, burying her face into his chest and beginning to cry. Zelos didn't try to stop her or say anything, he just pulled her tighter, rocking her back and forth and petting the back of her head comfortingly. " _I'm sorry, sis. Everything's okay now. It's going to be alright._ "

Lloyd stood by one of the columns on the porch, watching the two. He bit his lip, wishing he could share in the happy reunion, but it wasn't his to share. He needed to find his own family, but he was hesitant. What would he say? What _could_ he say?

"Seles? Where did you-?" A voice from behind Lloyd caught his attention, and he twirled around in disbelief to meet the woman who'd just exited the main entrance. She broke off her sentence as she met his gaze, a hand flying over her mouth. "L-Lloyd?"

"Mom?"

"Oh, _Lloyd!_ "

"MOM!"

Lloyd didn't really care to think too hard about it. He grabbed Anna and held her close, squeezing her against his chest as though she'd disappear if he didn't hug her tightly enough. She started babbling through tears, and he tried to make sense of her jumbled words. Her voice was choked, but he was getting bits and pieces.

"...thought... when the exsphere... and you... if it shattered... I couldn't... to think you would have..."

"Mom," Lloyd interrupted her, stepping away so that he could look at her. He tried to wipe her cheek with his bare hand, but his own eyes were clouded with tears and he couldn't see very well. "The exsphere shattered. I thought you were _gone_."

"Th-that's what I'm trying to say," Anna sniffled in reply. "I was so worried about you. All I heard was that awful machine, and the avalanche, and you and Zelos yelling..."

"You heard that?" Lloyd asked. "Y-you mean, through the exsphere? When the exsphere shattered, did you...?"

The sensation of a hand on his shoulder caused him to jump, and Anna did likewise. They both looked up to see Kratos smiling down at them.

"I don't know exactly what happened, but that was a hell of a risky stunt you pulled up there, Lloyd." Kratos' words was almost a whisper in contrast to Anna's loud voice. "I want to scold you, but with the way things turned out... I really can't, can I?"

Lloyd looked back and forth between Kratos and Anna for a few seconds. "I-I don't understand it. The exsphere is gone, right? So what's going to happen to Mom? If she hasn't disappeared now, what's going to-?"

Anna cut him off. "I'm not going anywhere, Lloyd. I'm here to stay. And I'm _not_ going to let anything like that happen to you again. From now on, I'm going to be the one protecting you."

Yuan had exited the door along with Kratos, and was standing a short distance away, watching the families with a fond smile. He didn't have any intention of getting involved in the reunion scene, but Noishe managed to sneak up behind him and pounce on him, giving him a hearty lick on the cheek. He protested, but couldn't help laughing. It was such a Noishe thing to do. He didn't want anyone feeling left out.

* * *

Seles insisted on waiting outside for Hazel and the others to arrive, so Zelos stayed with her, making sure that she kept a thick blanket around her shoulders the whole time. He wanted to break the subject of Hazel's resignation, but wasn't sure where to begin. He cleared his throat, trying to bring it up tactfully.

"Listen, uh... have you talked to Hazel at all about her future plans? Has she said anything to you about quitting?"

"Yes." Seles nodded. "We've discussed it."

"Oh! So you knew!" Zelos couldn't help letting out a sigh of relief. "She offered me a verbal resignation earlier today, so we're going to get the paperwork drawn up once we get back home. Why didn't you say anything to me, Seles?"

Seles pulled her knees in close, focusing on her shoes. "I'm sorry we kept quiet. We just didn't think you'd approve."

"Approve? Of Hazel quitting? She's got to live her own life, sis! Not that I-"

He didn't get to finish his sentence before the rheiard finally swooped in, flying in low over the ground and landing on the road just before the staircase. Seles ran off down the staircase to meet the group, and Zelos had to run after her to make sure she didn't trip and fall. She was waving as she ran, making a beeline for her nurse.

"Hazel! Oh, Hazel!"

Hazel was the first to dismount and was helping move Orrison when she heard Seles' voice. She turned around, smiling, her arms outstretched for an embrace. Seles had other plans, however, and she instead threw her arms around Hazel's neck and pulled her down so that their lips were meeting. The look on Hazel's face was one of surprise for only a split second before she melted into the kiss as well. Sheena let out a surprised " _oh!_ " but Colette simply gave a knowing giggle and Genis smiled.

Zelos' reaction was... less than positive.

He stopped at the bottom of the staircase, nearly tripping over his own feet as he did so and having to grab the railing for support. "Wh-wh-wh-wh-" He began to splutter awkwardly. "-what do you think you're _doing_? Stop, stop!"

The girls broke apart, their joy suddenly subdued. Hazel drew back timidly, but Seles stepped toward her brother in defiance, her expression begging him to challenge them.

"...professional relationships, huh? So the whole resignation thing was just..." Zelos groaned, running a hand through his hair. "You two can't just do this. This is _extremely_ unprofessional."

"We-" Hazel began, but Zelos cut her off.

"No. You're still technically the Wilder family's employee for two more weeks. Two weeks, I want you two to keep things professional. Understand?" He shrugged his shoulders in resignation. "After that... well, you crazy kids can do whatever you want. Just _tell me,_ please. I don't bite. At least not my family members."

A smile of relief passed over Seles' features and she ran to hug her brother. "I'm so sorry we didn't tell you! Thank you, Zelos!"

"I trust your judgement, Seles. Have a little more faith in me, okay?"

Upon Hazel's instructions, Colette and Sheena helped take Orrison into the resort, carrying him up to Zelos' suite where he could be properly cared for. Hazel and Seles went with them, but Zelos volunteered to help Genis in closing up the rheiard.

"Thanks, Zelos," Genis began once the girls were out of earshot, but Zelos didn't answer him immediately. He turned around and froze at the sight of Zelos' stern expression.

" _You knew_."

"I-I didn't lie to you..." Genis stammered.

" _You knew this whole time, you little-_ "

Zelos lunged at him, sending Genis running around the rheiard for protection. They both yelled at each other- _mostly_ playfully- their voices echoing around the front entrance as the sun began to set on the horizon and the dim light of the comet became clearly visible in the sky.

* * *

Kratos had arguably the best Dwarven skills of anyone in their party, but when his speech was compared with the fluidity of a native speaker, it became clear how rudimentary his grasp on the pronunciation still was. Dirk spoke his native tongue with a powerful presence, rising and falling with intonation as he sailed smoothly through the words for Kratos to repeat. His prompts lacked something that Kratos' had, however- the sense of conviction that came with a heartfelt vow.

" _... tha mise a' gealltainn a bhith 'nam fhear pòsda dìleas gràdhach agus tairis dhuitsa_ ,"

"tha mise a' gealltainn a bhith 'nam fhear pòsda dìleas gràdhach agus tairis dhuitsa,"

" _cho fad's a bhios an dìthis againn beò_."

"cho fad's a bhios an dìthis againn beò." Kratos spoke the last words with a stern seriousness, nodding his head as he did so. He glanced over to Anna, standing opposite him, her smile in complete contrast to his own expression.

Dirk looked over at Anna and began to prompt again, but Anna interrupted him with all the words memorized, bouncing up and down on her toes excitedly as she recited them aloud in her rudimentary Dwarven.

" _Tha mise-_ "

"Tha mise Anna a-nis 'gad ghabhail-sa Kratos gu bhith 'nam chéile pòsda. Ann am fianais tha seo de fhianaisean tha mise a' gealltainn a bhith 'nam bhean phòsda dhìleas ghràdhach agus thairis dhuitsa, cho fad's a bhios an dìthis againn beò."

 _I, Anna, take you, Kratos, to be my husband. In the presence of these witnesses, I promise to be a loving, faithful, and loyal wife to you so long as we both live._

Anna barely paid attention to Dirk's nod and hearty " _Gu meal sibh bhur naidheachd._ " She was too concerned with Kratos, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him in for a kiss.

Dirk stifled a laugh, glancing over Anna's shoulder at the rest of the group. The garden around Dirk's house wasn't big enough for a large gathering, but there was at least enough room for a small crowd of people to come together and celebrate. Colette was at the front of the group, dabbing tears away from the edges of her eyes, and Zelos leaned in beside her to offer her a tissue with a comforting "there, there." Beside her, however, Lloyd was _bawling._

"Th-this is the happiest day of my life..." he sobbed into his hands. Sheena gave him a nudge and glanced away.

"Quit crying. People are staring."

Once the vows had been properly exchanged, the group dissolved into a more casual affair, bringing out all manner of traditional Dwarven puddings and sweets- along with the traditional Dwarven whiskey, which Dirk poured out with a much heavier hand than would've been advisable given that it wasn't a beverage distilled with humans in mind.

But everyone was having fun, so no one was in the mood to criticize.

The ceremony, simple as it was, had been in planning for several weeks. Once Kratos and Anna had left Flanoir and begun planning their future, Anna had been insistent that they have a proper wedding. Kratos argued that they were already married, but Anna wouldn't let go of the idea that her death had invalidated it- _as long as we both live,_ their vows had said- and refused to take no for an answer. Once Lloyd heard about it, _everyone_ seemed to know about it, and they were receiving offers left and right from a big to-do at the Wilder mansion, to a traditional Mizuho ceremony, to a destination wedding in the tropical gardens of the Palmacosta University. But there was no surprise when they settled on Dirk's offer for a simple exchange of Dwarven wedding vows, held outside of Lloyd's childhood home. It felt right. It felt like _them_.

As Kratos sampled some of Dirk and Anna's Dwarven cooking, Lloyd approached him and gave him a nudge against his shoulder.

"So, Dad, when do I get to make my speech?"

Kratos raised an eyebrow. "Speech? What speech?"

"The best-man speech! Zelos said that, at weddings in Tethe'alla, the best man always makes a speech to honor the groom."

"Lloyd, this isn't a Tethe'allan wedding. It's not even _really_ a wedding." Kratos frowned, shoving a couple of shortbread cookies in Lloyd's direction. "It's just a... renewal of vows. There's no best man."

Lloyd didn't refuse the cookies, but he continued to whine as he nibbled on them. "How can you say that? You're saying that I, your _only son_ , can't be the best man at my parents' wedding?"

"Th-that's not it. There _is_ no best man-"

The conversation was cut off by the sound of a piece of silverware knocking against a glass. Anna was standing on the table, drawing everyone's attention with the clamor she was making. "Everybody, quiet down!" she shouted. "Our best man, Lloyd Irving, is going to make a speech!"

Kratos groaned and buried his face in one hand. "Why do I even bother?"

Lloyd climbed up onto the table with his mother, a look of pure satisfaction on his face. Everyone was paying attention to him, and he had no intention of letting them down. "Alright, guys! My name's Lloyd and I'm super thrilled to be here- but you guys already knew that, right?"

A laugh passed through the crowd. Yuan moved to stand next to Kratos, glancing over at him with a smirk. "This ought to be good."

Kratos prayed that Lloyd wouldn't be long-winded.

"My dad, Kratos, hasn't been around for all of my life. After we lost Mom, I didn't see him again until I was seventeen. In a way, I had to get to know him all over again." Lloyd made a gesture toward Kratos and everyone turned to look, much to Kratos' embarrassment. "It's funny, because when I first met him, my opinion of him was- _man, this guy's a jerk_. But as we traveled together and got to know each other better, he shared his skill and wisdom with me, and I began to think _y'know, this guy's not so bad_. Of course, then we got betrayed at the Tower of Salvation, and I thought _no, he's actually a jerk._ Then I found out he was my dad, and I thought _damn! My dad's a jerk!_ "

Zelos was on the opposite side of the table from Kratos, doubled over with his hands over his mouth as he tried to stifle his hysterical laughter. Sheena wanted to scold him, but she couldn't deny that Lloyd's speech was... less than complimentary.

"But eventually I accepted it. The more I learned about my and Kratos' past, the more I realize how much of a good guy he is, and how much I respect him. And now I think to myself, _wow_. Because not only am I lucky enough to have two great dads, but my dads are _the best_. So here's to Kratos. He may be a bit of a jerk, but he's one of the best!"

The end of the speech sent everyone laughing and applauding, Zelos finally allowing himself an outburst before he calmed down and raised his glass for everyone to see.

"I propose a toast!" Zelos yelled. "A toast to the bride and the _jerk_ \- I mean, groom. For the happy couple! To Anna and Kratos!"

There wasn't even time for Kratos to shoot him a glare, everyone was already enveloped in the happiness of the toast. The atmosphere was so different from his and Anna's first wedding, nothing more than a quiet exchange of vows alone in a cold, abandoned church. At that time they had no one but each other, and still they were grateful for it. But now... they had everyone.

Anna was musing on this as well, watching from her perch on the table. She turned to Lloyd beside her, standing on the tips of her toes to kiss his cheek. He put an arm around her shoulder, and she accepted the invitation to wrap him in a big hug, holding him tightly in her arms.

"Thank you, Lloyd," she whispered. "Thank you."

* * *

((And thank _you_ , everybody, for following this story until the end! I'm so thankful for everyone who's read and enjoyed the story. It's been a fun ride, and I'm thrilled that I could share it with you all. _Mar sin leat!_ Until we meet again!))


End file.
